Motoring Offences
Our fees in simple, guilty plea motoring cases
We are able represent you in a simple, summary only guilty plea motoring case for a fixed fee of £350 + VAT
What is included?
- Attendance on you (in person or telephone as required)
- Considering the prosecution evidence
- Taking your instructions
- Advising on the likely sentence
- Attendance and representation at a single hearing before the Hull or Beverley Magistrates’ Court
What is not included?
- Instruction of expert witnesses
- Taking statements from any defence witnesses
- Advice and assistance in relation to a Special Reasons hearing
- Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal
- Disbursements including travel, expert reports and the like
Key stages involved
The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that you expect to enter a guilty plea to the charge (or charges) that you face and have a date fixed for your hearing. They typically include:
- Discussing the case with you so that you can provide instructions on what happened
- Considering initial disclosure and any other evidence, and providing advice
- Explaining the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the Court
- Conducting any further preparatory work, obtaining further instructions from you if necessary and answer any follow up queries you have as appropriate
- Attending court on the day, meeting with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for up to half a day for such matters
- Discussing the outcome with you. If detailed advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost
Please note we cannot provide a timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day.
Our fees in contested motoring cases
We do not offer a fixed fee where you intend to deny the allegations that you face and the case will proceed to a summary trial (or a Special Reasons hearing) in the Magistrates’ Court. In this situation you will be represented at Court by one of the firm’s qualified solicitors, unless it is agreed with you that an independent advocate should be instructed.
The hourly rate will be between £126.00 and £255.00 per hour + VAT (depending on the seniority of the fee-earner concerned). We will require a payment on account of costs to be made upon instruction, the amount of which will depend on our assessment of the work that is likely to be required to deal with your case to completion. In cases in which there is a trial lasting 3 hours, we expect that the case is likely to require 6 or 7 hours work in total.
What is included?
- Attendance on you (in person or on the telephone, as required)
- Considering the prosecution evidence
- Taking your instructions
- Instructing expert witnesses
- Taking statements from defence witnesses
- Representation at a first hearing where a plea is entered
- Preparation for trial
- Attendance and representation at a trial hearing before the Hull or Beverley Magistrates’ Court
- Representation at a sentencing hearing if convicted
- Correspondence with you, the Court and the Crown Prosecution Service as necessary
What is not included?
- Disbursements, such as the cost of instructing an expert witness to prepare a report for use in Court
- Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal
Key stages involved
The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that the allegations that you face are denied and will proceed to a contested trial fixed after your first appearance at Court. They typically include:
- Discussing the case with you so that you can provide instructions on what happened
- Considering initial disclosure, and any other evidence and providing advice
- Explaining the court procedure to you so you know what to expect both on the day of the initial hearing (when you enter your plea(s) of Not Guilty) and the trial hearing itself. In the event that you are convicted after trial, what is likely to happen at the sentencing hearing and the options available to the Court
- Conducting any further preparatory work, obtaining further instructions from you if necessary and answering any follow up queries you have as appropriate
- Attending Court at the first listing and trial hearing and meeting with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for up to half a day in straightforward contested summary-only motoring cases
- Discussing the outcome with you. If detailed advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost
Please note we cannot provide a timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day.
i. A summary only offence is an offence which can only be tried in the magistrates' court. There are exceptions. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (CJA 1988) offences specified in the Act can be tried on indictment by a jury if they are linked to an offence triable only in the Crown Court. The principal summary only offences are:
- driving whilst disqualified
- careless and inconsiderate driving
- failing to give information as to the identity of the driver
- failing to stop or report
- speeding
ii. Special Reasons pertain exclusively to situations where the accused has been found or has pled guilty and now faces disqualification unless he/she can persuade the Court that the circumstances of the offence are such that it would be unjust to impose a ban.