Motoring Offences – Fees and Services

Introduction

At JHR Solicitors Ltd we believe in providing high-quality representation with complete transparency about costs. We only take on a limited number of cases at any one time to ensure clients receive our full attention. All fees are agreed in advance and fixed, so you will always know the total cost from the outset.

Our practice specialises in motoring offences and related criminal law. All cases are dealt with personally by either our Managing Director, John Ruane, a qualified solicitor with over 11 years’ experience in criminal defence and motoring law, or by Louis Young, a solicitor with over three years of experience in the field of criminal motoring law.

Value Added Tax (VAT)
VAT @ 20% has to be added to our fees and some disbursements.

Basis of Our Fees

We charge fixed fees for all motoring cases.

– Guilty plea at a single Magistrates’ Court hearing: £3,000 + VAT (£3,600 inclusive).

– Other cases are quoted individually depending on complexity.

Fees are payable in advance, unless otherwise agreed.

Our fixed fee includes representation at court.

What is Included in the Fee

– Initial consultation and advice on your case.

– Reviewing prosecution evidence.

– Advising on plea, sentence and likely outcome.

– Preparation of your defence and mitigation.

– Representation at the hearing(s) by either John Ruane or a trusted specialist barrister.

Disbursements (Not Included in the Fee)

Our fixed fee covers all our work on your case, including representation at Court. However, there may be additional costs payable to third parties (disbursements) which are not included in our fee. These may include:

• Expert reports (for example, toxicology experts)
• usually £600 + VAT (£720) to £1,200 + VAT (£1440).
• Interpreters – usually around £25 per hour + VAT (£30), if required.
• Court fees (vary on a case-by-case basis).
• Hotel accommodation (if an overnight stay is unavoidable).

We will always discuss these with you in advance and provide an estimate before incurring any such cost.

Key Stages of a Guilty Plea Case

1. Taking your instructions and reviewing the case.

2. Considering disclosure and advising you on plea and likely sentence.

3. Preparing mitigation and any relevant supporting material.

4. Representation at your plea and sentencing hearing.

5. Advising on outcome and next steps.

Typical Timescales

The following estimated timescales apply only to matters where a guilty plea is entered and the case is concluded at a single hearing.

Initial consultation and advice

We will usually arrange an initial consultation within 24 of your enquiry.

Review of evidence and legal advice

Once we have received the prosecution papers, we will normally review the evidence and provide advice within 7 to 14 days.

Preparation for the hearing

We will prepare your case, including any written representations and mitigation, in advance of the hearing date.

Court hearing

The hearing date is determined by the court. In most cases, a single hearing will take place within approximately 4 to 12 weeks, although this varies depending on the court’s availability.

Post-hearing advice

We will explain the outcome of your case and provide any necessary advice immediately after the hearing or shortly afterwards.

Please note that these timescales relate only to guilty plea cases concluded at a single hearing. If your case proceeds to trial, is adjourned, or requires additional hearings, different timescales will apply and we will provide you with an updated estimate.

In cases where a case is dealt with at a single hearing the whole case is usually completed within six months from the date of the offence. However, each case is different and we cannot provide a precise timescale of how long each key stage will take or when hearings will take place, as this depends on many factors such as the complexity of the matter and court listings.

We should be able to give you a more accurate idea of timescale when we’ve more details about your case.

Services not included within the published fixed fee

The published fixed fee is intended for guilty plea cases concluded at a single hearing. Unless specifically agreed in writing, it does not include:

• Representation at a trial following a not guilty plea.
• Preparation for or attendance at any additional hearings.
• Appeals against conviction or sentence.
• Instructing expert witnesses or obtaining expert reports.
• Taking witness statements.
• Any work required following an adjournment or where the case becomes more complex than originally anticipated.

If additional work becomes necessary, we will discuss this with you in advance and provide a separate fee estimate before any further costs are incurred.

Who Will Do the Work?

All work on motoring matters is undertaken by one of our solicitors.