Christmas drink drive drama?
Highbury Magistrates Court will re-open for business on Boxing Day to deal with the Christmas fall-out.
All first appearances before the Judge or Magistrates are held in the Remand Court. One of the Highbury court rooms will be a dedicated Remand Court – and this is where charges are read, pleas are taken and Case Management Forms are completed by those who want to fight the case against them at Trial.
If you’ve been charged with Failure to Provide a Specimen or Driving a Motor Vehicle While Over the Prescribed Limit, you will have the opportunity to get advice from the Duty Solicitor or from your own private Direct Access Motoring Barrister or Solicitor.
It is important to take advice. You may have a defence in law that you didn’t know about. On the other hand, your idea of a defence or “special reason” may not have any prospect of being successful at Court.
If you want to fight the case at Trial, your lawyer will be asked to complete a Case Management Form. The purpose of the form is for you and the Crown to narrow the issues. Your lawyer will write down the facts you dispute and/or which defence you will raise.
The Duty Solicitor is a Remand Court free service – but the Duty Solicitor will not represent you at Trial for free.
If you’re not eligible for Legal Aid, you will have to pay for Trial representation.
Where reputations, licences and livelihoods are on the line, it’s important to put the best possible case forward in front of the Magistrates – rather than to wait for an undoubtedly more expensive appeal to the Crown Court.