Steve is trial-ready and available to accept instructions from solicitors. The District Court as a trial court is very different to proceedings before Magistrates in the Local and Children’s Courts. The process is more formal and the stakes are usually far greater than in matters that proceed summarily in the Courts below. Trials require careful preparation and need to be conducted having made tactical decisions given the available evidence in the prosecution case and having marshalled evidence for a possible defence case well in advance of a jury being empanelled. Defending at trial is a demanding exercise and Steve is confident of his capacity to effectively do so and his first rate client skills.
Steve has expertise in appearing for those charged with serious crimes proceeding in the District Court, including cases of:
- sexual assault against adults and children (particularly historical sexual abuse cases)
- serious violence involving wounding and the infliction of grievous bodily harm
- aggravated and armed robbery
- aggravated break and enters
- commercial drug supply and importation
- possession/dissemination/production of child abuse material.
Steve will carefully examine and assess the acceptability of your instructions and provide candid and common sense advice about your chances of escaping conviction. If not good, and it is a matter that proceeds with instructions to a sentence hearing, there is still much work that can be done to obtain the best outcome. Steve has a solid understanding of the laws of sentencing and can still protect and advance your interests when it comes to punishment.
Steve also regularly conducts severity/conviction appeals from Local and Children’s Court decisions. If you have been convicted in the Local Court and unhappy with the decision, he can discuss with you the merits of an appeal to the District Court. Note there is a time limitation for such appeals, and must be commenced 28 days from the date the matter was finalised in the Local or Children’s Court or within 3 months with leave of the District Court.
