Sanford Legal provides services for a wide range of Criminal Law matters. Our lawyers provide quality, strategic and expert legal advice specifically tailored to suit your individual requirements.

Our services
Sanford Legal provide a comprehensive range of services in the area of criminal law, and can assist you in all areas of representation including:

• Advice regarding Police arrest and the criminal process
• Bail Applications in the Local, District and Supreme Courts
• Local Court Hearings
• Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs)
• Return of seized goods
• Declaration of Habitual Offenders Quashed
• License Appeals
• Committal Hearings
• District and Supreme Court Trials
• Coroners Inquests
• Appeals to the District, Supreme and High Courts
• Court of Criminal Appeal Hearings
• Criminal Appeals

We have over 25 years criminal law experience in Local, District and Supreme Court trials, and can assist in any matter from traffic offences to strictly indictable offences such as drug importation, fraud, serious assault, larceny, sexual offences, firearms offences or murder.

Drink driving offences
Drink driving is a very serious offence so the penalties are designed to make people think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking. The severity of the penalties depend on whether it’s your first offence or one in a long line of DUI misdemeanours. These can range from losing your licence and incurring substantial fines to prison and mandatory alcohol interlocks.

If you have been arrested for drink driving, negligent driving or if you have lost your licence, Sanford Legal can help you navigate through this challenging time. Our expert legal team has a long, successful history of defending clients’ rights in traffic law matters.

So we’ll work hard to help you make sense of any charges you may be facing as well as understand your rights and options. We’ll then take action to ensure you achieve a positive outcome. We can even assist you in securing any treatment or assistance.

Our lawyers can assist at any stage of your case, whether you’ve just been charged or are about to go to court and need an expert to represent you.

Remember, it won’t cost you anything to get in touch with us. It’s all about finding out what your rights are. For more information or to schedule an appointment with any member of the Sanford Legal team.

We have successfully represented thousands of clients who have been charged with drink driving offences.

First Time Offence
Generally, if it’s your first drink driving offence, or you have not committed any drink driving offence for many years, you may have a chance at avoiding a conviction and licence disqualification.

Section 10 – No Convictions
We have a proven track record in achieving ‘section 10? no convictions for our clients charged with drink driving. Our team are committed to the careful preparation of your case – this is the key to achieving a section 10.

We’ll work with you to secure the right character references which will play a crucial role in building a strong case for you – and avoiding the suspension of your driver’s licence. We’ll also provide you with all the information you and your referees need to write a perfect reference for court. What’s more, we can register you into the appropriate Traffic Offenders Program to prepare you for your hearing in court.

Assault offences
Assault occurs when a person intentionally or recklessly causes another person to fear immediate violence. Assault also occurs without the use of force, which means that mere threats of violence or harm can constitute assault. Many assault matters are dealt with in the Local Court. However, if the matter is serious, you may have to appear before the District Court upon indictment. Penalties for assault offences can range from fines and community service to a prison sentence.

There are various assault offences, including common assault, reckless wounding, assault that causes bodily harm, sexual assault, police assault and indecent assault.

Some of these types of offences are listed below.

Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (AOABH)
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm is an “aggravated” assault. The type of bodily harm is not defined in the Crimes Act 1900  but the common law narrows it down to an injury that is “more than merely transient or trifling”.

Assault that results in actual bodily harm attracts a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. If the assault was committed in the company of another individual, the maximum penalty is seven years. The degree of violence directly impacts on the severity of the sentence. That’s why it’s crucial that you know your rights and options if you’re arrested.

Recklessly causing grievous bodily harm or wounding (AOGBH)
The wordings in the Crimes Act 1900  are intended to convey their ordinary meanings. ‘Grievous bodily harm’ means harm or injury that‘s really serious but it doesn’t need to be permanent or life-threatening. Under the  Crimes Act 1900, grievous bodily harm can include destruction of pregnant woman’s unborn baby, permanent or serious disfiguring of a person and grievous bodily disease.

Assault against police officers
For a successful conviction, the prosecution needs to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you assaulted/stalked/harassed or, intimidated a police officer while he or she was doing their job or – ‘in the execution of their duty’. The maximum penalty of assault against police officers is five years. The penalty will be more severe if there was weapon involved or if there was actual bodily harm or grievous bodily harm to the police officer.

Domestic violence offences
Unfortunately, some relationships often end in a violent manner and may result in police intervention. The law in NSW is structured to provide police with the power to intervene if they believe a person needs to be protected in a violent domestic situation

Legislation has been specifically established to create criminal offences involving domestic violence. The penalties for offences in the area of domestic violence can include imprisonment. Apart from domestic violence legislation there is legislation surrounding personal violence. Many orders are sought against people arising out of neighbourhood disputes. These orders are taken out by individuals themselves, generally without police assistance.

Orders which the Court may make, prohibiting certain behaviour can include everything from, restricting people from having contact with their spouses and/or children to being prevented from returning to your home. This is why early intervention and proper legal advice is critical when it comes to protecting your interests.

Sanford Legal has successfully defended many people facing Domestic and Personal Violence proceedings.

Defences for assault charges
To convict a Defendant, the prosecutor has to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. There are many times that a charge with an offence cannot be proved to that level. In some cases, the police drop the case because there is simply not enough evidence to prove guilt or the police have charged you wrongfully or improperly. In other cases, you can rely on a defence, such as “I didn’t do it” or “I did it, but it was in self-defence”.

Your defence is an intricate and highly technical area of law. Its availability depends on the facts of each case.

Our careful attention to detail and our experience in this field are two of the main reasons why we have been able to achieve excellent results for our clients.

Drug offences
Drug offences are considered very serious by the Courts. They can cover a wide range of matters from self-administering an illegal drug to possession, supply and drug production. The penalties for drug offences depend on how serious the crime is. They can range from good behaviour bonds and fines to prison sentences. Drug offences are often so serious they’re finalised before the District Courts.

Sanford Legal has an in-depth knowledge of drug offence laws. We work closely with you to ensure that each offence is carefully considered and you are properly advised.

Understanding the issues regarding search warrants, drug dogs, stopping and searching people in public and their homes is fundamental to defending people charged with drug offences. We have a thorough knowledge in this area of law and we regularly appear in the Local Court and District Court proceedings. We often represent clients in trials and sentencing matters for offences that range from possession and supply right through to the importing of illegal narcotics.

We’ll often need to obtain outside assistance from rehabilitation centres, counsellors and other similar forms of assistance. Having worked in this industry for several years, we have a very large network of organisations which we can draw upon if we require their expert assistance.

For more details on how we can help you, or to speak to one of our accomplished Sanford Legal lawyers, call us now.

Contact Sanford Legal today for a free case assessment.