Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need a lawyer?

  It is highly recommended when facing criminal charges that you have a highly experienced lawyer represent you in front of the court. A good criminal lawyer will be able to reduce and negotiate any penalty given which could be anything from a penalty such as a fine or community service through to imprisonment.

  Here at Legal Advisory Service, we deal with police charges regularly. Our team is in court daily and has extensive experience with criminal law and the magistrates throughout the Gold Coast.

• What information do you require?

  When meeting with your lawyer the most important thing you will need to do is give a full detailed description of what has happened. Your lawyer needs to know everything, even things you may not think is important. More often than not these little things can have a significant impact on your case. Lawyers hate surprises and surprises do not look good in court. You need to be candid about your matter, including any history that could be of relevance and be open and honest so your lawyer can understand what your trying to achieve.

• Can I talk to my friends/family/partner about my case?

  Being charged with a criminal offence can be a stressful time. The last thing you want is leaking valuable information into the wrong hands. It is understandable that when going through this process being able to vent and express how you are feeling can be of help. Unfortunately, this can have a negative effect on your case as sharing facts to family and friends could turn them into witnesses. Even if the person is on your side, the things you speak about could be twisted and used against you in court. We strongly suggest to only speak to your lawyer about your case which you can be guaranteed will be confidential. The team at Legal Advisory Service will also suggest that you remove yourself from all social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Social Media accounts can be used in court by the prosecution and it is best to have no interaction whatsoever.

• Can a criminal record affect me if recorded?

  Yes there are quite a few ways that a criminal record can affect you, let’s take a look below and the most common.

  1. Employment: These days it is becoming increasingly more common that employment agencies and companies ask to do a criminal history check, this could impact their decision on whether they hire you.
  2. Renting a property: Unfortunately, people tend to be cautious when renting a property to someone with a criminal record. It is becoming more common for rental agencies to ask to do a criminal history check on the application form.
  3. Adoption: Your criminal record could affect you gaining custody of a child. Adoption agencies are very cautious and do a number of checks to ensure that the child is going to a safe home. Unfortunately even with fantastic personal references and loving and safe home, having a criminal record will be a big factor against you when the decision is made.

Reviews

Legal Advisory Service

5.0

Based on 6 reviews

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Mandy Driessens

08:34 18 Sep 22

Fran Legend

01:43 19 Sep 20

Jye Hopkins

04:40 08 Jul 20

If it wasn't for The Legal Advisory Service I wouldn't have had such a great result in regard to my recent case!Extremely fast response time when I first contacted them, this fact coupled with the extremely cost effective pricing and great advise confirms I will be using them again! (Hopefully not for my sake)!

George Harris

01:07 07 May 20

I recently had my case handled by the team at Legal Advisory Service and had an amazing outcome I have used other firms in the past and found them expensive and not very responsive. My case was handled cleverly and at a very fair price.

Joshua Dawson

01:03 10 Apr 19

Very professional and great price. Really happy with the outcome of my case, couldn't have asked for a better team.

Donnelly Law Office

04:43 26 Sep 18

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