By Fiona McGeorge - 11 Oct 2018
If you find yourself charged with a criminal offence,
whether it's minor or serious, don't under estimate the importance
of getting good legal advice. It might be the difference between
whether you are convicted of the charge or not.
Recently we've had several clients who initially intended to
simply plead guilty to the charge without realising the
consequences a conviction may have for their jobs, their residency
or future travel plans.
After providing them with legal advice and discussing all the
options available we successfully applied for a discharge without
conviction on the clients' behalf. This meant the clients did not
receive a criminal conviction and were free to continue
unencumbered with their lives.
The other benefit of good legal advice, even for a minor
criminal charge, is having someone who can explain the often
unfamiliar and daunting Court process to you. A good lawyer will
help you understand each step of the process and what is required
of you. This can make what might otherwise be a very stressful
situation, more straight forward for you and a little less
scary.
If you or someone you know needs criminal law advice contact our
criminal lawyer Fiona McGeorge on fiona@martellimckegg.co.nz
or 09 300 7368. Fiona is an ex police prosecutor so has experience
from both sides and can explain the process and what your options
are and help you achieve the best outcome possible.