Private Road Traffic Defence

Your licence. Your livelihood. Your defence.

Clear advice and transparent fixed fees, without hourly-billing uncertainty.

For an initial discussion, call 020 8297 1727.

Advice for common situations

• Totting up and exceptional hardship
• Received a Single Justice Procedure notice?

Fixed fees

• Initial advice — £250 including VAT
• Guilty plea and mitigation — £1,000 including VAT
• Exceptional Hardship application — £1,500 including VAT
• Special Reasons argument — £1,800 including VAT
• Standard one-day Magistrates’ Court road-traffic trial — £3,000 including VAT

The £3,000 trial fee includes taking your instructions, reviewing the ordinary prosecution papers, advising on plea and likely outcome, preparing the case, reasonable correspondence and representation at the one-day Magistrates’ Court trial.

These fixed fees apply to standard cases within the stated scope. Before you instruct us, we will confirm what is included, identify any likely disbursements or additional work and explain when a different fee may apply.

What the £3,000 trial package covers

The package covers standard trial preparation and representation for one day in the Magistrates’ Court. We confirm suitability, preparation and hearing scope in writing before you instruct us.

• First hearing and case management: a separate first hearing or case-management hearing is outside this trial package. Any additional representation is separately scoped and priced in advance.
• Sentencing: if sentence follows the trial on the same day, representation that day is included. A separate sentencing hearing is additional work.
• Adjournments and extra days: the package covers one attendance for one trial day. If the trial is adjourned after attendance, a return hearing or further trial day needs a separately agreed fee.
• Counsel and disbursements: specialist counsel, experts, medical reports and other disbursements are excluded unless expressly included in your written agreement. We agree third-party costs before they are incurred.
• Complex preparation and appeals: cases requiring extensive or unusually complex preparation, and appeals, are outside the standard package.

Private fees are agreed for a defined scope of work. We do not require payments on account. Any additional work and price are discussed and agreed before that work is undertaken.

Work not normally included

Expert reports, medical evidence, specialist counsel, additional or adjourned hearings, appeals and unusually extensive evidence are not included unless expressly agreed. If a third-party cost is likely, we will explain it and seek your agreement before it is incurred.

Who handles your case

Chris Carter is the firm’s Principal Solicitor and a Solicitor-Advocate. He represents clients at police stations and in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. We confirm who will carry out the work and who will supervise it before you instruct us. Read about the firm and Chris Carter.

Key stages and timing

We take your instructions and review the prosecution evidence, advise on plea and the available options, prepare the agreed defence or application, and represent you at the hearing covered by your agreement. We explain the result and any next steps afterwards.

The standard trial package covers a hearing listed for one day. Preparation takes place between instruction and the hearing; the overall timetable depends on the court listing, disclosure and any evidence still needed. We confirm the expected timetable for your case when agreeing the scope and keep you informed of changes. Separate hearings, additional days and adjournments are priced separately as explained above.

VAT and third-party costs

The £3,000 trial fee comprises £2,500 plus £500 VAT at 20%. All fixed fees listed above include VAT. Expert reports, medical evidence and specialist counsel are additional costs where needed; their prices and any applicable VAT depend on the provider and the work required. We obtain a quotation and your agreement before incurring them.

Complaints

Our complaints procedure and how to contact the Legal Ombudsman or SRA. We do not charge for handling a complaint.

Cases we handle

• Drink driving and drug driving
• Speeding and possible disqualification
• Exceptional Hardship applications
• Failure to identify the driver
• Careless and dangerous driving
• Special Reasons arguments

Ask about your case and the applicable fixed fee

Totting up and exceptional hardship

If an offence takes you to 12 or more relevant penalty points within three years, a totting-up disqualification normally follows. The usual minimum is six months; qualifying previous bans can increase it. The relevant offence dates matter, so bring your driving record and all notices to your consultation.

A court can reduce or avoid a totting-up ban where exceptional hardship is proved. Ordinary inconvenience or loss of employment alone does not automatically meet the test. The impact on dependants, caring responsibilities, employees and others may be relevant, supported by evidence about realistic alternatives to driving. Circumstances used successfully to avoid or reduce a totting-up ban cannot be reused within the following three years.

We assess the legal position, help identify documents and prepare you to give evidence. Our published fee for a standard Exceptional Hardship application is £1,500 including VAT, subject to the scope agreed in writing. There is no guarantee of success.

Received a Single Justice Procedure notice?

Check the charge, the evidence and the response deadline immediately. You normally have 21 days from the date shown on the notice to respond. Do not ignore it: a magistrate may decide the case without your response.

Send us the complete notice, your driving record and earlier correspondence. We advise on whether the allegation is proved, your plea, mitigation and whether a court hearing is needed. A not-guilty plea leads to a hearing; you can also request a hearing when pleading guilty. If disqualification is a risk, obtain advice before choosing how to respond.

If you have only just discovered a conviction made without your knowledge, contact us promptly about the available procedure and deadlines. Simply sending a late plea is not necessarily sufficient.

Road traffic: frequently asked questions

Is a totting-up ban automatic at 12 points?

It is the normal statutory result, subject to the relevant rules and any successful exceptional-hardship argument. We check which points count and whether there is a properly evidenced application.

Is exceptional hardship the same as special reasons?

No. Exceptional hardship concerns the consequences of a totting-up ban. Special reasons relate to the circumstances of the offence and are a different legal argument.

Does the £3,000 trial fee include every hearing?

No. It covers the standard one-day trial package described above. Separate hearings, additional trial days, specialist counsel and other excluded costs require an agreed scope and price.

Do you charge for initial advice on a notice?

Our published initial-advice fee is £250 including VAT. We confirm the work covered before you instruct us. Ask about your notice or hearing or call 020 8297 1727.