court

TBH if it's going to be £200-300ish for a brief, you're probably going to
struggle to make any savings.

Having never been to court, though, I know I'd probably want someone to
guide me through the whole process (if, indeed, there is much of a process
to be guided through). Maybe they have a "welcome pack" containing a
brochure and a CD-ROM or something.

 

If you're defending yourself, you *may* like to let the judge know
this.

HTH

 

Observing a few hearings between now and the case should suffice.

 

it's already in my written statement.

 

except I've just found out that the theoretical maximum fine for the
speeding alone is 2.5K :-/

I don't expect it do be very difficult - after all, people who're only
intelligent enough to become solicitors seem to manage OK.

 

Ooh, just to add - my brief in Leeds was approx 150 quid

heh. Or even a web site : "Your day in court - an interactive
experience"

 

I phoned a solicitor on Friday but they'd gone home and were supposed
to phone me back today but as yet I havent heard anything.

I'm in two minds pretty much the same as you but everytime I watch
that fecking video its puts me into rant mode.

How the hell can they say we are 'going some' when theyre doing 55 and
we pootle past? Makes me think they'd decided to do us before we'd
even done anything wrong.

--
Adie - capable of leading darsy astray.
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

Triumph T595 (For Sale) / GSF600 bandit
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22

 

IIRC you had seven days from the notice to request the plod to turn up
in court.

--
Adie - capable of leading darsy astray.
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

Triumph T595 (For Sale) / GSF600 bandit
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22

 

Champ

Sounds like we should add another column to the ukrm.net pages.
All the peeps here called tell there story in court, would make
some fun reading and may come in useful as a reference, sort of.

 

Have just spoken to them and they reckon in the region of £500 for
fees which seems an awful lot to me.

--
Adie - capable of leading darsy astray.
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

Triumph T595 (For Sale) / GSF600 bandit
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22

 

I've an idea. Could darsy get a "Bearcam" and video the whole court
appearance, then it could be turned into a DVD of how to / how not to
appear in court.... or even "how I ended up in jail for contempt - for
looking like a borg."

 

Samuel Langhorne Clemens

Puts on rose tinted specs - the last time I had to attend court for
motoring offences there was always the possibility of using the duty
solicitor. IIRC the usual drill was to turn up early and get free
representation, of course you this may not be any better than DIY.

 

Well that's 250- each isn't it if they represent you both (or maybe 350-
each).

Surely that's worth paying if they reduce the number of points or stop a
ban being imposed?

Naturally they won't do anything but it will help you look more
repentant. Put a solicitor in place and you look like you're taking it
seriously.

Advertise your bikes on ebay[1] (and note this..) and you look more
serious.

If you turn up without a brief the bench just *might* think you don't
respect them.

[1] Naturally it's also advertised elsewhere so may be withdrawn and has
a high starting price.

 

Cheap lawyers can be found at http://www.pettifogger.com

 

A good point, well made.

 

£500 for a Barrister 1/2 day seems about right. For a local Solicitor, not
bloody likely.
Last time I paid my (friend) local solicitor £380ish for two appearances and
that covered his entertainment bill for the tame Procurator's Assistant.

 

Adrienne M Jenn wrote

Like the mans have already said the brief is there to make you look all
repentant and shave a few points of the sentence. You know this, your
brief knows this, prosecuting council and the bench knows this. It is
all part of the game, we all know this.

A good one will also make sure that you are not accidentally victimised
for a mistake in the paperwork or the beak being sober.

The choice is yours whether you want to pay or not but if you think of
it as insurance rather than legal representation it may affect your
decision.

I am aware that "my license is my living" and I would be quite prepared
to pay a lot to manipulate the system a little if it was under threat.

I think it is a no brainer really.

 

their fee you mean?

 

hard to look repentant when you've pleaded not guilty.

my licence isn't my living.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, darsy said:

Don't need one.

Depends if you're pleading guilty and want to drag something out that's
already a certainty.

Just go in, look very sorry, say yes and nod your head a lot.