Costs and fees for legal services
Transparency of charging
At keepmedriving we believe strongly in being upfront about what it will cost you to be represented by us – and remember, if you are found to have committed an offence and lose your licence as a result, the real costs to you and your family could be far higher.
When you make an initial enquiry we will, wherever we can, let you know the likely cost to you of instructing us. For the more straight forward matters our charges are likely to be far less than for dealing with more complex matters, and we will always ensure that you know what the options are and how you can take steps yourself to minimise the overall cost.
The cost of driving law advice
The cost of instructing us in all matters will be based on a number of factors including:
- the type of case;
- the complexity and length of time it is likely to take;
- the amount of evidence against you;
- whether we need to explore technical defences – for example checking whether road signs etc. were in the right place and correctly displayed;
- the seniority of the lawyer who deals with your matter;
- whether we need to use a barrister in court,
and many other factors.
Like many firms of solicitors we generally charge a fixed fee for the work we do which is set by what evidence needs to be gathered and the other circumstances. The advantage of this to you is that you know from the outset what the costs of your case will be. If this is not possible, as it may not be in the more complex cases, then we will need to charge an hourly rate, base on how much work we have to do – thus the more complicated or serious the case, the more will be the charge. In such cases our charges will therefore be dictated by the amount of evidence we have to gather, the number of witnesses from whom we need to take statements, whether medical experts are involved and the manner in which the case is handled by the police.
Keepmedriving will discuss with you at the outset the likely level of cost so that you can make an informed decision as to whether, or how, you want to proceed with the matter
Payments on account
If we do agree to represent you then we will normally ask that you pay us a sum on account of the costs which we will incur. That amount will depend upon the complexity of the matter and whether we need to make any other payments on your behalf.
Payments by credit or debit card
In most circumstances we can accept payment from you by means of a credit or debit card.
We are able to accept payment by means of VISA, Mastercard and American Express – please contact us for more details
Legal Aid
You may, in certain circumstances, be eligible for legal aid. Normally this will be available in the more complex cases where, for example, you run the risk of losing your liberty and where you are unlikely to understand the proceedings or there is a substantial question of law involved. If we feel that we may be able to represent you on a legally aided basis then we will discuss this with you at the appropriate time.
No Win No Fee
From time to time we are asked if we can represent someone on the basis of “No Win No Fee”. Regrettably this is not possible. It is against the law to fund any criminal case in this way.