Being accused of a crime can be devastating, especially since the impacts of being convicted can be far-reaching and can change the course of people lives. A permanent record can ruin job opportunities, whilst jail time can take away years of your life or fines can cause major financial distress. That’s why it’s important to react quickly and seek the counsel of experienced professionals.
If you’re not sure what kind of services you need, read on below to find out what offences criminal lawyers in Melbourne can help you to deal with.
Property offences
If you’re being accused of a property offence then you should get into contact with criminal lawyers in Melbourne. Most property offences carry serious charges and range in severity, you can expect anything from small fines right through to jail time if you’re convicted of a property offence. Common property offences that criminal lawyers in Melbourne might deal with include; burglary, armed robbery, stealing cars and other motor vehicles, damages and stealing. Most firms will have some experience in this area of the law and will be able to advise and represent you.
Drug offences
Many criminal lawyers in Melbourne routinely deal with drug offences and will be able to help you with this type of offence. So if you’re being accused of committing a drug-related crime it’s a good idea to seek out legal counsel. A good legal professional knows the ins-and-outs of the law and will be able to inform you about what to expect and represent you during proceedings. This can lead to better legal outcomes for you and be reassuring during what is often a highly stressful time. Drug offences often include charges like trafficking, possession, possession with intent to sell and drug court. This is a complex and ever changing area of the law, so it’s important to get the advice of an experienced professional in these types of matters.
Offences against the person
Offences against the person range in severity but generally include criminal acts such as assault, murder, manslaughter, sexual offences, unlawful wounding, kidnapping, stalking, death threats, obstruction of justice and indecent dealings or assault. Many of these crimes can carry major penalties and capital punishments. There is a huge body of legislation encapsulated under the umbrella of offences against the person, so it’s important to find specialist criminal lawyers in Melbourne should you be facing accusations relating to any of these crimes.
Offences against the Commonwealth
There are some crimes that can be considered to have been committed against the government or the Commonwealth. These include acts such as Centrelink fraud, importation of drugs, cyber crime, people smuggling, mail fraud, corporations act breaches and customs and quarantine offences.
There are other areas of the law that criminal lawyers in Melbourne may also be able to help you with, such as if you’re being prosecuted under the dog act, firearms act or for laws relating to possession of pornography.
Even if it’s not mentioned here it’s likely that many professional firms with a team of criminal lawyers in Melbourne will be able to assist you, if you’re being accused of something that may give you a record, lead to jail time or involve a fine. Most firms will have a first meeting with you for free and provide you with an estimate of the costs involved in taking on your case and the likely outcomes so that you can make an informed decision.
Most crimes can have a permanent and lasting impact on your life, so proper representation is always recommended.
