When Should You Call a Drink Driving Solicitor?

The laws of the United Kingdom provide everyone with the right to be represented and aided by a criminal solicitor or a drink driving solicitor when they are facing legal charges or in peril of losing their liberty. Depending on your situation, the law may even provide free criminal legal aid, either in person or over the telephone. In fact, if you are called into the police station, detained by the police or arrested, you have a right to be assisted by a solicitor at no charge to yourself, but there are things you should know about that representation.

Drink Driving Charges

If you are suspected of driving while intoxicated, you have a right to legal advice from the duty solicitor or from your own solicitor. The Legal Service Commission will only pay the fee for a telephone consultation under this circumstance. It is important to bring in a drink driving solicitor to advise you as soon as possible because the police must abide by specific regulations when collecting evidence or attempting to make a case. A drink driving solicitor can also help you make a case for early restoration of your driving licence, or mount a defence against a drink driving charge.

Criminal Legal Aid at the Police Station

At the police station, you are entitled to free legal advice from the duty solicitor or from your own solicitor. If the charges against you don’t carry a danger of imprisonment, or as noted above, if they concern drink driving, criminal legal aid will only pay for a telephone consultation. If you are being charged with an imprisonable offence, such as fraud or assault, you may ask for a criminal solicitor to advise you in person.

Criminal Legal Aid Before the Courts

You are entitled to legal advice and representation from a criminal solicitor whenever you are brought before the court, but the circumstances for payment of the legal fees vary depending on the section of the court, the charges against you and your financial means. When you stand before the Magistrate’s Court, you must meet specific tests before legal aid will be granted. The case against you must carry a significant chance of depriving you of your liberty or your living, and you must meet income guidelines to qualify for reduced or free criminal legal aid.

If your case will be heard before the Crown Court, you will automatically qualify for legal aid from a criminal solicitor.

Choosing a drink driving solicitor or criminal solicitor to advise and represent you is a significant decision. Don’t take chances with your freedom or your rights. Ask about your right to speak to solicitors whenever you are involved with the police.

United Kingdom Drink Driving Solicitor Advice at the Police Station

Do you need the advice of a drink driving solicitor if you are called into the police station for questioning in relation to a traffic stop? Are you aware of your rights under the law in the United Kingdom? Many people – especially those who never anticipated they might face criminal charges – know little more about their legal rights than what they see on the television court shows. Understanding your rights and what to expect at the police station can help you avoid making mistakes that could harm your defence if the police decide to charge you and you are prosecuted for a criminal offence.

Criminal Legal Aid

In much of the United Kingdom, you are entitled to free criminal legal aid at the police station if you have been arrested or asked to come in for questioning. You can also seek the advice of a drink driving solicitor, or for a criminal solicitor to advise you in responding to police questioning or requests that you submit to any type of testing to determine your alcohol level. This holds true whether you are arrested in London, Chatham, Kent or any other city or town in England or Wales.

General Advice

In general, criminal solicitors will tell you to say nothing at all to the police without a solicitor present. If you have been “invited” to the police station to answer questions, you have the right to bring your own criminal solicitor with you to be present any time you are interviewed at the station. If your solicitor or his firm holds a 2010 Standard Criminal Contract, the fee for your solicitors advice at the station will be paid by the Legal Service Commission.

If you are arrested and taken to the police station, or if at any time during your interview with the police you decide you want to have a solicitor present, you have the right to request representation. You have two choices at that point. You may accept the advice of the duty solicitor or request your own criminal legal aid solicitor.

If you request a duty solicitor, a private criminal defence attorney will be assigned to take your case according to a rota scheme. If you request your own solicitor, the Criminal Defence Call Centre will attempt to contact him or her for two hours. If they can’t reach him within two hours, they will send the duty solicitor to advise you.

Drink Driving Solicitor

If you are being questioned in connection with a drink driving offence, a non-imprisonable offence, a warrant or a breach of bail, the legal aid scheme will only cover telephone consultation with your drink driving solicitor or criminal solicitor.

No matter what charges you are facing and no matter whether you believe you are guilty of the charge or know nothing about it at all, it is in your best interests to have a criminal solicitor or drink driving solicitor representing you at the police station. It is your right and you are entitled to it.