Do I Need a Lawyer?
If the police have charged you with an offence (whether you know you did something wrong, or you have been unfairly targeted) more often than not, you simply don’t know where to turn or who to see. You have been given a Court date to attend court on a particular day and time. The question that you may consider is, “well the police officer told me to just go to Court and I’d probably get off with a warning or get a Section 10”. The fact is, regardless of what your friends or the police tell you, you WILL need a lawyer. Having a lawyer represent you in court is absolutely crucial.
As experienced criminal lawyers we are aware of what submissions and evidence is required to be put before the Court on your behalf. We know what the law is, what the penalties are, and more often than not, we can also give you a highly accurate assessment as to what penalty you are likely to receive in your own personal situation.
Whether you have been charged with a criminal offence or a traffic offence, we are here to serve your best interests. It is our job to ensure that your personal situation is highlighted to the Court and that you put your best foot forward.
There may be an occasion where the police simply want to question you in relation to an offence that you may have some involvement in or knowledge off. It is at these times that you need the advice of a good lawyer. Any lawyer worth their salt will advise you that you should not say anything. Assuming it is not a traffic matter, you have the right to silence and you should exercise that right. All too often we have seen cases where people have thought they should go to the police station because a police officer has asked them to come in and have an ‘informal’ chat. Then as a result of the information disclosed in their interview, they end up being charged with a criminal offence.
The reality is, when you are dealing with the police they are not your friends and there is no such thing as a friendly or informal chat with the police. Perhaps the greatest reason for not doing an interview with the police is because if the police proceed to charge you, the interview that you did, can and invariable will be used against you in court. It is for this very reason that you should engage the services of a criminal lawyer immediately.
In Australia you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is the role of the police to gather up all the evidence and prove the case against you. The interview that you provide may well be the ammunition they need to convict you.