Charged in South Australia? Three Walls, Three Doors - Lawyers & Costs

Transcript

You have been charged in South Australia, and the summons gives you a date at the magistrate's court in Adelaide or anywhere across the state. Most people in that position run into the same three walls. Let us knock a door through each one. Wall one, I cannot afford a lawyer. Wall two, court is Monday, and nobody can see me in time. Wall three, I do not understand the system, and I am terrified of saying the wrong thing. Sound familiar? Every one of those walls has a door in it, and none of the doors cost anything to try. Door one is the duty solicitor.

The Legal Services Commission puts them in the magistrates' courts and the youth court free precisely for people the system would otherwise leave behind. If you were arrested overnight, they are the one applying for your bail in the morning. They can also seek an adjournment to buy you time or speak for you on a simple guilty plea where prison is not really on the cards. Door two is a phone call before the day. The legal helpline is free, and it is open nine to four thirty, Monday to Friday.

They will tell you where you stand and whether you might qualify for a grant of legal aid, which is a lawyer for the whole case, means tested with a contribution from many people. The duty solicitor can even help you apply. And if you are Aboriginal, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement is there for you. Details below. Door three is your own lawyer, and here is the honest arithmetic. Junior criminal lawyers run somewhere between two hundred and four hundred dollars an hour. Senior ones more.

For a straightforward guilty plea, many firms will name one fixed figure for everything, and no reputable lawyer leaves you guessing the cost must be set out in writing before the real work starts. Three walls, three doors. The worst plan is to stand in front of the wall until Monday. If you would rather talk it through tonight, our hotline is free to call at any hour, and booking a fixed price consultation with a lawyer takes minutes. The number is on your screen.