Your next step can change the outcome. Speak with our experienced criminal lawyers first.
- Free Initial Consultation
- Fixed Fee Options Available
- Award Winning Criminal Lawyers
- 30+ Years Combined Experience
Fees are shaped by the type of charge, the evidence that needs to be reviewed, the stage the matter has reached, and whether it is likely to resolve before or at a hearing. We use fixed fees for most Local Court stages and apply staged pricing to defended hearings, subpoenas, expert material, and disbursements.
A free consultation covers scope, inclusions, the expected process, timeframes, and next steps. Payment plans may be available to eligible clients. In cases of genuine financial hardship, reduced-fee or limited pro bono assistance may be considered subject to capacity.
We work on an evidence-first approach. We examine police procedure for problems, obtain and review CCTV, assess witness reliability, consider injury documentation, and look hard at identification before deciding on the best course of action.
A client was charged with serious assault offences following a late-night brawl that resulted in significant injuries to the other party. The prosecution alleged the client was the aggressor but after a detailed review of the CCTV footage and other witness material, we established that the client had been approached and threatened before the incident. At the hearing, we demonstrated that the response was proportionate in the circumstances. The magistrate accepted that self-defence remained a reasonable possibility and returned a “not guilty” verdict.
The client was charged with assault after an incident in a shopping centre carpark. The prosecution relied on limited CCTV and brief witness accounts. We identified gaps in the evidence and argued that the client’s response was proportionate to the threat he faced. The court accepted that self-defence remained open, and the charge was dismissed.
The client was charged with affray after an altercation at a pub. We reviewed the prosecution case and found inconsistent witness accounts, gaps in CCTV and weaknesses in proving the legal elements. We raised those issues during negotiations. The prosecution withdrew the charge, and the client avoided a conviction.
An assault allegation can affect your work, family relationships, any relevant licences, and your reputation from the moment it is made. We handle every stage with practical, clear guidance.
We confirm your court date, go through your bail conditions and any non-contact rules, identify the police allegations, and flag anything that needs to be addressed immediately. We also make clear what you should and should not do before your next court appearance.
We examine your Court Attendance Notice, police facts, bail papers, and the evidence currently available. We identify urgent issues, note possible defences, and establish what documents are needed to protect your position.
We go through statements, body-worn video recordings, CCTV footage, medical records, 000 audio, screenshots, injury timelines, and identification evidence. This work informs our analysis of self-defence, consent issues, reliability concerns, and how realistic a negotiated resolution is.
We advise on the best approach: a guilty plea, representations to police seeking withdrawal or amendment, negotiation of agreed facts, or a contested hearing. Where sentencing material or character evidence would assist, we help you compile it.
We appear at every court event, speak with the prosecutor where it helps, present your supporting material, and make focused submissions on the matters the magistrate needs to decide. For contested hearings, we prepare witnesses, issue subpoenas, and develop cross-examination.
Once the court has decided the matter, we walk you through every order, including appeal rights, any changes to bail or conditions, ADVO implications, and compliance requirements, and make clear what avoiding further legal risk looks like in practical terms.
An assault allegation can affect your work, family relationships, any relevant licences, and your reputation from the moment it is made. We handle every stage with practical, clear guidance.
Step1
We confirm your court date, go through your bail conditions and any non-contact rules, identify the police allegations, and flag anything that needs to be addressed immediately. We also make clear what you should and should not do before your next court appearance.
Step2
We examine your Court Attendance Notice, police facts, bail papers, and the evidence currently available. We identify urgent issues, note possible defences, and establish what documents are needed to protect your position.
Step3
We go through statements, body-worn video recordings, CCTV footage, medical records, 000 audio, screenshots, injury timelines, and identification evidence. This work informs our analysis of self-defence, consent issues, reliability concerns, and how realistic a negotiated resolution is.
Step4
We advise on the best approach: a guilty plea, representations to police seeking withdrawal or amendment, negotiation of agreed facts, or a contested hearing. Where sentencing material or character evidence would assist, we help you compile it.
Step5
We appear at every court event, speak with the prosecutor where it helps, present your supporting material, and make focused submissions on the matters the magistrate needs to decide. For contested hearings, we prepare witnesses, issue subpoenas, and develop cross-examination.
Step6
Once the court has decided the matter, we walk you through every order, including appeal rights, any changes to bail or conditions, ADVO implications, and compliance requirements, and make clear what avoiding further legal risk looks like in practical terms.
NSW assault law covers a spectrum from common assault under section 61 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) through assault occasioning actual bodily harm under section 59 to the most serious grievous bodily harm offences. Assault involves intentionally or recklessly causing a person to apprehend immediate and unlawful physical contact; battery is the direct and unlawful application of force. The law of self-defence is set out in section 418 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).
Sentencing depends on the charge, the nature and severity of the injuries, the intent demonstrated, the defendant’s prior record, the plea entered, and what mitigation can be put before the court. The range of outcomes includes non-conviction orders, fines, community-based orders, intensive correction orders, and imprisonment in the most serious cases.
Yes, and taking advice early is important. Knowing what the charge involves, what your bail conditions require, what evidence exists, and how Local Court proceedings work in practice equips you to manage the matter effectively. A local Picton lawyer builds your case material, negotiates where that is warranted, and steers you away from decisions that could weaken your position before the first mention date.
You will typically receive a Court Attendance Notice with a Local Court date attached. Your solicitor reviews the evidence, requests full disclosure from police, examines possible defences, and advises on whether to negotiate, plead guilty, seek a charge withdrawal, or defend the matter at a contested hearing.
No honest lawyer can promise that. The outcome turns on the evidence, the charge, the nature of any injuries, your record, and the magistrate’s assessment of all relevant factors. Careful preparation gives your case the best realistic chance by finding weaknesses in the prosecution evidence, presenting your mitigation fully, and running the strongest lawful argument available.