Magistrates Court
All criminal proceedings begin in the magistrates court, the more serious ones will then be transferred to the Crown Court. Our experienced team of criminal lawyers have an excellent reputation for defending clients not only throughout Shropshire but also into the West Midlands and Welsh Borders. Trust the professionals… Talk to Clarkes.At the Magistrates Court legal aid is available if two simple tests are satisfied.
Step 1 – The court will decide if it is in the interests of justice to provide legal aid and will look at the nature of offence, if it carries a prison sentence or is of a complex or technical nature.
Step 2 – A means test is conducted which is an income based assessment. Anyone claiming Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance or Guaranteed State Pension Credit automatically pass the means test.
If an individuals gross annual income is less than £11,590 they qualify but if the income is over £20,740 then legal aid is not available. Between these two limits a further test is carried out that examines net income after a cost of living has been calculated. This simple means test can be completed online at www.legalservices.gov.uk or ideally call Clarkes on 01952 618787 and we will carry out the assessment for you.
If legal aid cannot be granted contact Clarkes and one of the criminal lawyers will advise you how best to proceed. The fees will vary depending upon whether a matter will proceed to trial. It is worth considering that if a Not Guilty verdict is achieved or if charges are dropped an application can then be made for a defence costs order. If granted this can result in some or all of the fees you paid being refunded.
At Clarkes all our fees will be agreed with you in advance and we will provide full details of costs and how these are calculated before any legal work is undertaken. As your case progresses we will keep you fully informed in writing of how much work has been carried out and how much more is likely to be necessary.
For expert legal help and advice with all aspects of Magistrates Court contact Jonathan Mason or Shakeel Ahmed from our Criminal Law team on 01952 618787.
