Drinking Driving

If you have been charged with drink driving, it’s important to seek specialist legal help immediately. This is a serious offence carrying a minimum, mandatory 12-month disqualification or in worse cases, prison. An expert drink driving solicitor at Watson Woodhouse will assess your case to determine a potential defence. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances today.

Whether you receive a summons or postal requisition with a court date or are charged by the police directly to Court, we’re here to help through this difficult situation.

Drink Driving Guilty Plea

In this instance, your case may be concluded upon first appearance. Exceptional hardship or special reason arguments may mean a court adjournment for a hearing in 4 to 8 weeks. During this time we will provide the best legal advice, discuss procedures, take instruction and obtain evidence.

Our fees when pleading guilty to drink driving are determined by how straightforward arguments are to mitigate the sentence.

Guilty Plea Costs

The majority of drink driving cases are charged at a fixed fee of £350-£750 plus VAT at 20% of £70-£150, a total of £420 – £900, which will be discussed with you prior to instruction. Travel expenses are in addition to this cost. Should cases become more complex, this fee will be adjusted accordingly, based on time. Fixed costs do not include any expert reports, tracing witnesses or a guilty plea. 

Drink Driving Not Guilty Plea

Pleading not guilty to a drink driving offence is also charged at a fixed fee and based upon the length and complexity of the trial. This will be affected by:

• Number of witnesses
• If you’ve been charged with more than one offence
• Expert evidence

Where a trial is straightforward lasting up to an hour and a half, costs are £500 plus VAT at 20% of £100, a total of £600. For those at half a day, it’s £750 plus VAT at 20% of £150, a total of £900 with a full day’s fee of £1000 plus VAT at 20% of £200, a total of £1200. Such costs may increase should a defence witness require tracing and interviewing, expert evidence is needed or an unusual law aspect arises.

Drink Driving Court Process

Via summons receipt, postal requisition with a court date, or charges from police direct to court, we’re here to support you. A trial is usually listed two to four months after the first appearance or the not guilty plea is indicated by the Single Justice Procedure notice (varies from court to court). You’ll receive detailed initial advice and upon instruction, obtain evidence and represent you at the first court hearing. Dealing with the case in its entirety we’ll guide you throughout.

We are here to help

Call us for a FREE and confidential consultation with a specialist solicitor today on 01642 247 656; alternatively, complete our online contact form, and one of our team will be in touch.