Charged in the NT? A Duty Lawyer Every Day, NAAJA & What Lawyers Cost

Transcript

The territory does justice differently. Court might mean the local court in Darwin or Alice Springs or one of more than thirty bush courts where the magistrate flies in to hear matters in community. If you are facing a criminal charge anywhere in the NT, here is how to get a lawyer quickly and what it costs. First, the strongest safety net in the country. At the Darwin and Alice Springs local courts, there is a duty lawyer every single day. Free. No means test. No booking. You just look for their office at the court or ask the staff to point you to them. Here is how that works in practice.

The duty lawyer gives you initial advice on the spot and can represent you in court on things like a bail application. The first conversation costs nothing. If you need ongoing help beyond that day, you will be assessed, and you may pay a small fee. That is still a fraction of full private rates. If you are Aboriginal, NAAJA, the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, runs criminal defence for adults and children right across the Territory, from the local court all the way up, in some cases, to the High Court of Australia. Their details are in the description below.

Before your court date, ring the Legal AidNT helpline, open eight to four thirty on weekdays, on the number on screen. They can advise you and explain whether you qualify for a grant of aid for the whole case. If your matter is listed at a Bush Court, do not wait for the plane to land. Get advice on the phone first. And private lawyers work the territory too. The going rates are the same as everywhere in Australia, roughly two hundred to four hundred dollars an hour for junior lawyers, more for senior ones, and often one fixed price for a straightforward guilty plea.

Whoever you hire must put their costs in writing before the real work starts. The territory is big, but you are not on your own in it. If you want to talk it through before you decide anything, our hotline is free to call any hour, wet season, or dry. And a consultation with a lawyer is a fixed price, booked fast. The number is on your screen now.