Being charged with a criminal or traffic offence is often extremely stressful, even for people who have been in court before.
Being charged with a criminal or traffic offence is often extremely stressful, even for people who have been in court before.
It’s natural to have questions, and we encourage you to ask as many questions as you need before making a decision. To get you started, we have set out a number of frequently asked questions below, but if you need specific advice, please contact us.
About George Criminal Lawyers
About George Criminal Lawyers
Because we have the experience, skills and reputation needed to get you the best possible result. Also, unlike other firms, we won’t leave you in the dark, wondering what is happening with your matter or why your lawyer never responds to your emails or phone calls.
Andrew George is the Principal Lawyer at George Criminal Lawyers. He has over 13 years of experience in criminal defence, and has represented clients charged with the most serious crimes in Australia. He is a passionate lawyer with outstanding attention to detail. He leaves no stone unturned in defending his clients and achieving exceptional results.
Yes, we offer free initial consultations by phone. You can book a time using our online booking page, submit a contact form enquiry, or text, call or email us to set it up.
If you’d prefer to see us in person at our office (or elsewhere), we charge $275. If you want to book an in-person conference, just head to the online booking page to select an available timeslot.
Having worked in this industry for over a decade, it is very clear that some firms simply don’t care about you once they have your money. We’ve heard countless stories from clients who have come to us, sometimes too late, telling us that they could never get in touch with their lawyer or find out what is happening with their matter. Their entire future was on the line and it’s simply not good enough. And, just as concerning is that some firms don’t have a basic knowledge or understanding of the area of law that they practice in.
Absolutely, because we know exactly what you get when you use the local lawyers. We will travel wherever you need us, including interstate. Just contact us to confirm our availability and fees.
We usually answer calls and attend appointments between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, but we are contactable 24 hours by SMS or email. If you need to speak to us or require assistance outside of these hours, including weekends, just get in touch.
Questions about the court process
Being charged and going to court
Never speak to the police unless it is to confirm who you are. Their primary goal is to obtain evidence from you which can support the charge they are investigating. You should contact us immediately for advice.
Once you engage our services, we will request a copy of the facts from police (known as a QP9) and any criminal or traffic history that you might have. The QP9 will provide a summary of the facts and allow us to provide you with some initial advice about your options.
The next steps from there depend on the nature of the matter and what you want to do. If we can’t get your charges dropped or resolve the matter through negotiations, then serious indictable offences will progress through the Magistrates Court and be committed (transferred) to the District or Supreme Court. Other matters remain in the Magistrates Court, and can be dealt with as a plea of guilty or listed for trial.
Because you are taking a gamble on your future. Duty lawyers typically spend about 5 or 10 minutes with you to discuss your matter on the day of court. They might not ask you the right questions about what happened, and they won’t have any supporting material to hand up to the Magistrate to help reduce your penalty. You also won’t know who the duty lawyer is and their level of experience and skill.
We strongly recommend you contact us to represent you so we can safeguard your rights and the outcome.
If we can’t get your charges dropped or downgraded and you want to go to trial, then the court will give you a date for your trial. Magistrates Court trials are usually listed for a single day, with Supreme and District Court trials lasting 2-3 days on average.
Leading up to the trial, there are a number of steps involved. Firstly, we ensure we have all of the evidence, including any evidence you might have in your defence. If we need to, we issue subpoenas or seek directions from the court for further evidence to be disclosed. Secondly, we might need to make applications to the court to exclude evidence obtained through illegal searches, prejudicial evidence, or to exclude statements made by you. Thirdly, we attend conferences with you and a barrister to fully prepare for the trial. Lastly, we attend court with you for the trial.
Our experience and reputation as trial lawyers means you have the best possible chance of being found not guilty. Our experience means that we intimately understand the problems with the evidence in each case, the law, and can provide you with advice and representation of the highest standard in Queensland.
If you’re likely to be sentenced, or want to plead guilty, then you can rest assured that you will receive the best possible outcome. We know exactly what supporting evidence the court wants to see. We will help you organise character references, reports and medical evidence to ensure that no stone is left unturned.
Our connections in the industry mean we can provide extensive material to the court by referring you to rehabilitation for issues like drugs, alcohol, violence and road safety. We can also arrange consultations, treatment and expert reports through close working relationships with leading experts in psychology and psychiatry.
