Criminal Law

Free legal advice 

The following charities may be able to provide limited free advice: 

 

 If you are under investigation by the police it is important to get legal advice from a criminal defence solicitor and to have a solicitor with you at the police station. Most people find a solicitor who is local to them.

Finding a solicitor to take on a case

  • Chambers & Partners Directory

    For the most highly regarded solicitors search the Chambers and Partners Directory of top ranked firms and individuals doing a search on UK ‘crime’.

 

Legal aid is available as follows:

  • Advice in the police station – this is not means tested.  You can ask for the duty solicitor or contact a firm of your own choice.

  • Representation in the Magistrates Court – this is subject to a means test and also legal aid may be refused for minor offences.

  • Representation in Crown Court – legal aid is automatic, but there is a means test and around 25% of people have to pay monthly contributions. If you are acquitted at the end of the case your contributions are repaid.

  • If you have already been granted legal aid to a criminal defence solicitor and you want to change solicitor this is difficult and you have to get permission from the Court. You would have to show the court that there has been a breakdown in the relationship between you and the solicitor you have at the moment, or some other compelling reason for changing solicitor. If you wish to put this forward you should complete the relevant form and provide a full explanation so the court can consider the request, including dates.

Criminal appeals

There is only very limited legal aid to investigate cases for criminal appeals, so the majority of criminal defence lawyers won’t take them on, unless there is clearly a strong case, or the case is high profile or client will pay privately. This includes applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. 

  • APPEAL
    A charity specialising in criminal appeals, but they only take limited number of cases. They have a women’s project. They can also provide a signposting list of criminal solicitors who are members of the Criminal Appeals Lawyers Association and a list of student law clinics who have ‘innocence projects’.
     

  • Criminal Cases Review Commission
    This is a Government body which considers suspected miscarriages of justice. They will only consider cases after the normal appeals processes has been concluded. CCRC has the power to refer cases back to Court of Appeal, though the number referred are very small indeed.

 

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