FAQs & Fees

You will receive a Court Attendance Notice or “CAN” when you are charged with a criminal offence. The CAN will list the date and location at which you must appear. When you receive this notice, you should seek legal advice quickly as criminal offences carry terms of imprisonment, and a criminal conviction can have lifelong implications.

All criminal matters will be first listed in the Local Court of New South Wales.  More serious charges will be transferred to the District or Supreme Court of New South Wales. Police must personally serve a Court Attendance Notice (CAN) on the accused person. The CAN will contain the charges, the alleged police facts, and the date and time the matter is listed in Court. When you receive a CAN, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible before the date listed on the CAN.

At Wollongong Criminal Law, we advocate and fight for our clients inside and outside the Courtroom. Our years of experience ensure we maximise your chances of getting the best possible outcome in your matter.

We will:

• Use our expert knowledge and extensive resources to ensure you are entirely prepared for Court.
• Advocate for you in Court
• Sit down with you and listen – we will listen to your concerns and questions and explain the complex Court process.
• We carefully analyse the evidence and attack any deficiencies in the prosecution case/brief of evidence.

There are several risks a self-represented defendant can face in Court when dealing with a criminal or traffic matter. These risks include:

• Inexperience – many people never set foot inside a Courtroom. When an individual does find themselves inside a Courtroom, it can be an intimidating and emotional experience that leads to a lot of pressure on the individual. This pressure may mean that the defendant has difficulty speaking to the judge and cannot tell the Court what they want to say. This can lead to a poorer outcome than what you may have received if an experienced criminal lawyer represented you.
• Lack of Knowledge – Procedures and processes underpin criminal and traffic laws that the ordinary person may not know or understand. Not knowing these procedures and processes can result in a lack of preparation that may mitigate your outcome. Our experienced criminal lawyers are knowledgeable in these areas. They can best prepare your matter, ensuring you complete the right courses, documents and procedures to help you receive the best outcome.
• Risk of a higher penalty – We are dedicated criminal lawyers; therefore, we understand what the Court requires to extend leniency and ensure you will not re-offend. Self-represented defendants risk being unaware of how to present subjective and objective material and how to present themself to the Court, which can trigger a harsher penalty as the magistrate or judge has not been shown the best possible case or submissions. Our criminal lawyers prepare and present this material on your behalf to relieve the stress or risk a higher penalty.

Whether you need to attend Court or not will depend on several factors, including (but not limited to):

• If you are on bail, what are those bail conditions are
• If the matter is listed for mention, hearing, or sentence
• Whether you are excused from appearing by the Court

Our team of lawyers at Wollongong Criminal Law will tell you whether you need to attend Court or whether your matter can be dealt with in your absence. We will guide you through the process and advise you of every step in the Court process.

You generally will not have to speak in Court at a sentencing hearing if you have a lawyer. Your lawyer will do that for you. It is part of their job and what they do daily.

Suppose you have something you would like to put before the Court, such as an apology letter, character references, or other material. In that case, your lawyer can arrange for you to present it to the Court with written or, if appropriate, oral evidence.

In traffic matters, the Magistrate may ask you what you have learnt from your completion of a traffic offender program you have completed. Our lawyers will discuss these matters with you before your Court date.

You will have to speak to Court if you give evidence.

Wollongong Criminal Law deal with all criminal and traffic matters no matter how big or small.

Matters we deal with include (but are certainly not limited to):

• License appeals
• District Court Appeals
• Bail/Release Applications
• Traffic offences
• Affrays
• Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVO)
• Apprehended Personal Violence Orders (APVO)
• Assault
• Fraud
• Sexual Assault
• Break and Enter
• Drug Offences
• Sexual Offences
• Taxation offences
• Centrelink offences
• Offensive language and conduct
• Manslaughter
• Murder
• Negligent Driving
• Driving under the influence
• Drug Driving
• Children’s matters
• Theft

Contact Wollongong Criminal Law today for immediate expert advice 02 7228 7242

We appear in all Courts in New South Wales at all levels. We are not limited to the Illawarra area, and as part of our commitment to our clients, we travel throughout the State (and interstate) to represent our clients.

If convicted of a criminal charge, a conviction will be recorded against you, and you will usually have a criminal record. There are some exceptions to this, which may be attainable depending on your offence.

At Wollongong Criminal Law, we will work with you to achieve the best outcome – we have a proven track record of attaining non-convictions for our clients.

There are several ways to avoid a conviction:

• Successfully defending the charge
• Having the charge dismissed
• Having the matter dealt with under s14 of the Mental Health Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act
• Being sentenced to a Conditional Release Order without conviction (which replaces the ‘Section 10’ order).

Wollongong Criminal Law is experienced with all of these outcomes. Criminal convictions can have a long-lasting impact on your future – it can impact your prospects of securing specific jobs, travel, or daily activities. It would be best if you attained legal advice to ensure you achieve the best possible outcome for your matter.

Our lawyers make assessments about the strength of the prosecution case in each matter and will be able to advise you as to what your best options are.

It is important to note, however, that if the prosecution case is strong and you will likely be found guilty of an offence after a hearing or trial, there are benefits to pleading guilty at the early stages of the matter. This benefit includes a discount on the sentence, which reflects the benefit to the community of avoiding a lengthy proceeding.

We offer fixed and variable fees, depending on the nature of the matter. Our costs are transparent, and we do not have hidden fees.

If you have been charged with a criminal offence, contact Wollongong Criminal Law today 02 7228 7242.

If you have been charged with a criminal offence, Wollongong Criminal Law is only an email or phone call away. Send our friendly team an email at office@wollongongcriminallaw.com.au or give us a call at (02) 7228 7242 so we can organise a time suitable for you to talk to one of our lawyers.