Pre-charge solicitors
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Hi all,
We are looking into getting a solicitors for pre-charge support. My partner was arrested and released on bail recently relating to distribution.
If this did happen, it did not happen intentionally. We are devastated by this.
We are hoping to engage a solicitor pre-charge, but don't have a clue how to know whether any we've looked at are any good.
If anyone here has experience with getting a solicitor for pre-charge and would be happy to share your experiences (good and bad) I'd really appreciate hearing them either here or in a private message. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to ask for recommendations on the forum, but if anyone is happy to share any privately (or equally any you wouldn't recommend) I'd be very grateful.
This is all so expensive (in so many ways) and it's so hard knowing where to even begin.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to this forum and shared their experiences. It has been the best resource we've had so far in this journey.
Thank you
We are looking into getting a solicitors for pre-charge support. My partner was arrested and released on bail recently relating to distribution.
If this did happen, it did not happen intentionally. We are devastated by this.
We are hoping to engage a solicitor pre-charge, but don't have a clue how to know whether any we've looked at are any good.
If anyone here has experience with getting a solicitor for pre-charge and would be happy to share your experiences (good and bad) I'd really appreciate hearing them either here or in a private message. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to ask for recommendations on the forum, but if anyone is happy to share any privately (or equally any you wouldn't recommend) I'd be very grateful.
This is all so expensive (in so many ways) and it's so hard knowing where to even begin.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to this forum and shared their experiences. It has been the best resource we've had so far in this journey.
Thank you
I have to be honest, if this has only just happened and he is on bail, I would wait before engaging a solicitor. My OH was bailed 3 times (9 months in total) before charges were brought
After 5 or 6 months I phoned round some local solicitors and looked online. We could have used the duty solicitors company but felt they had not given the best advice at initial interview.
I got some quotes from a couple of firms who deal with these types of crimes, and spoke to the solicitors to see how I felt they were. I had a good feeling about one and decided to use them. They did charge an upfront fee of £500 but that covered him up to second interview.
We have the plea hearing in a couple of weeks. They have been approachable and not too expensive in the grand scheme of things. We are in the South East.
After 5 or 6 months I phoned round some local solicitors and looked online. We could have used the duty solicitors company but felt they had not given the best advice at initial interview.
I got some quotes from a couple of firms who deal with these types of crimes, and spoke to the solicitors to see how I felt they were. I had a good feeling about one and decided to use them. They did charge an upfront fee of £500 but that covered him up to second interview.
We have the plea hearing in a couple of weeks. They have been approachable and not too expensive in the grand scheme of things. We are in the South East.
Thanks lostinthewoods. It's really helpful to hear someone else's experience.
We have been quoted a huge amount of money for pre-charge support. Thousands and thousands, which doesn't sound right considering that might not involve much at all.
My partner is at a key moment in his career and in a qualification he has been working towards for a long time. The ideal scenario would be that it never reaches charges (I appreciate that's the same for everyone) and so we can't work out whether to pay a lot now in the hope that it is worth it in the long run.
Equally we could pay a lot of money now and it never makes a difference because it becomes NFA anyway or proceeds anyway. Although I guess if it does proceed we might be in a better position having had a solicitor from the start. Who knows.
It's so hard to know what to do for the best.
We have been quoted a huge amount of money for pre-charge support. Thousands and thousands, which doesn't sound right considering that might not involve much at all.
My partner is at a key moment in his career and in a qualification he has been working towards for a long time. The ideal scenario would be that it never reaches charges (I appreciate that's the same for everyone) and so we can't work out whether to pay a lot now in the hope that it is worth it in the long run.
Equally we could pay a lot of money now and it never makes a difference because it becomes NFA anyway or proceeds anyway. Although I guess if it does proceed we might be in a better position having had a solicitor from the start. Who knows.
It's so hard to know what to do for the best.
The OIC should let you know eventually if charges will be brought - at that stage you can start considering a solicitor. Even a second interview can be attended by the duty solicitor. We just chose to appoint one at that stage for continuity, as he is guilty and it will go to court.
If you think (and I really hope) that if will go NFA then you are right, you won't need one. No harm in looking around and getting quotes though. X
If you think (and I really hope) that if will go NFA then you are right, you won't need one. No harm in looking around and getting quotes though. X
Just to offer a different point of view - we did get a pre-charge solicitor but mainly to provide a buffer between our son and his OIC who we had come to distrust hugely and who I truly believe caused myself and my husband unecessary stress as we tried to support our son, through her behaviour. It was cetainly hugely expensive and the firm didn't do very much apart from allowing me to stop feeling quite so terrified and evicting the OIC from my thought processes as she was taking up far too much space there. I honestly can't decide if it was money well spent but it's one of those things where you won't know until later. We rationalised it by deciding we'd rather instruct one and pay up, when in fact it wasn't really necessary, than not do it and then regret the decision. Of course, as we await charges we will now have another hefty bill on the horizon........
https://www.olliers.com/news/benefits-charge-work/
You need to be clear about what you are paying for. This article explains how pre charge engagement works.
The solicitor should be actively engaging with the OIC, not just waiting for them to bring charges. For example, if the police say there are images on the device, the solicitor should be examining how they might have got there, maybe by doing their own examination of the device.
The idea is that they can convince the CPS not to bring charges by giving the CPS other evidence, that the police may have missed or not have included in their report.
You need to be clear about what you are paying for. This article explains how pre charge engagement works.
The solicitor should be actively engaging with the OIC, not just waiting for them to bring charges. For example, if the police say there are images on the device, the solicitor should be examining how they might have got there, maybe by doing their own examination of the device.
The idea is that they can convince the CPS not to bring charges by giving the CPS other evidence, that the police may have missed or not have included in their report.
Just to add to my other reply, as you are saying that the offences were unintentional then getting a pre-charge solicitor would be useful because as edel pointed out, they could be exploring that unintentionality, how it happened and so on. In our case there was no question of anything being accidental and our son has always said he will plead guilty.
Thank you so much everyone - I really appreciate you spending time replying.
I think having them as a buffer sounds good. I can't stand the thought of us just sitting and waiting for an indefinite amount of time - I want to be doing something and I guess if we have a pre-charge solicitor we can at least know that things are going on in the backgound. I suppose it transfers some of that mental weight a little and might help us to know more about what is going on.
I think having them as a buffer sounds good. I can't stand the thought of us just sitting and waiting for an indefinite amount of time - I want to be doing something and I guess if we have a pre-charge solicitor we can at least know that things are going on in the backgound. I suppose it transfers some of that mental weight a little and might help us to know more about what is going on.