Motoring Offences – Magistrates’ Court Fees
We are committed to providing clear and transparent information about our legal fees so that you understand the likely cost of your case from the outset.
The information below relates to advice and representation for summary-only road traffic offences dealt with at a single hearing in the Magistrates’ Court.
Once we have considered the circumstances of your case, we will confirm the work required, the fee that will apply and whether any additional costs are likely to arise.
You may also have access to alternative funding, such as legal expenses insurance. We recommend checking any relevant insurance policies.
Who Will Deal With Your Case?
Motoring offences are dealt with by:
Waqqas Malik, Solicitor
Motoring work is supervised by:
Davinder Sehmi, Solicitor and Director
Fixed Fee
For a summary-only road traffic offence which is dealt with at a single Magistrates’ Court hearing, our fixed fee is:
£1,000 plus VAT
VAT at 20%: £200
Total: £1,200 including VAT
What Is Included?
Our fixed fee includes:
- Taking your instructions
- Reviewing the available evidence
- Advising you on the likely sentence and potential consequences
- Explaining the court procedure
- Preparing appropriate mitigation
- Making written representations to the prosecution where appropriate
- Preparing for the hearing
- Attendance and representation at one Magistrates’ Court hearing
- Advising you on the outcome of the hearing
Where the hearing is at a court close to our offices, we will generally attend ourselves. For courts further away, we may instruct Counsel to represent you. Where this applies to the single hearing covered by the fixed fee, Counsel’s fee is included.
What Is Not Included?
The fixed fee does not include:
- A trial or preparation for trial
- Expert evidence
- Taking statements from witnesses
- Special Reasons hearings
- Exceptional Hardship hearings
- Additional or adjourned hearings
- Appeals or advice concerning an appeal
- Other work falling outside the agreed scope of the fixed fee
If additional work becomes necessary, we will explain the likely costs and provide you with a further estimate or quotation before proceeding.
Additional work is generally charged at hourly rates of between:
£180 and £250 plus VAT per hour (£216 to £300 including VAT).
Disbursements and Additional Expenses
Third-party expenses and disbursements are not included in the fixed fee unless expressly stated.
These may include:
- Interpreter’s fees
- Translation fees
- Court fees, where applicable
- Travel expenses
- Reasonable accommodation expenses where an overnight stay is necessary
We will advise you of any anticipated additional expenses before they are incurred wherever possible.
Key Stages
For a straightforward matter where a guilty plea has been entered and the case is expected to conclude at a single hearing, our work will generally include:
- Taking your instructions and discussing the circumstances of the offence.
- Reviewing the available evidence.
- Advising you on your legal position and the likely sentencing options.
- Explaining what to expect at the Magistrates’ Court.
- Preparing your mitigation and any appropriate representations.
- Attending court and representing you at the hearing.
- Explaining the outcome and its implications.
How Long Will My Case Take?
The timescale will depend upon the nature of the offence, the circumstances of the case and the availability of the Magistrates’ Court.
Where a matter is dealt with at a single hearing, it may conclude within several months. However, court listing times vary and we cannot guarantee when a hearing will take place.
Once we have details of your case and the hearing date, we will be able to provide a clearer indication of the likely timescale.
Contact Our Criminal Defence Team
If you require advice or representation in relation to a motoring offence, contact our team to discuss your case and the fees that will apply.
Telephone: 020 8597 5097
Waqqas Malik: wm@mvlegal.co.uk