Magistrates Court

At Watson Woodhouse, we have a team of specialist criminal defence solicitors able to defend you in magistrates court. All offences start in the Magistrates Court as any criminal allegation can have serious consequences.  A panel of 3 magistrates or one district judge will listen to both the prosecution and the defence’s version of events during a case. From here they will announce a guilty or not guilty verdict. Magistrates have the power to sentence up to 12 months. Should you require representation from an expert, please contact our team immediately.

Magistrates Court Cases

‘Summary Only’ cases can only be dealt with here as they attract sentences of less than six months. Triable ‘either way’ cases will be heard in either the Magistrates or Crown Court. Every case from murder to the dropping of litter starts in the Magistrates court. If the offence can be heard in either the magistrates must go on to decide whether they can retain jurisdiction of the matter. They will consider the likely sentence alongside any reasons of factual, procedural or legal complexity rendering the matter unsuitable for summary trial. The outcome determines if the case remains or is sent to Crown Court.

Magistrates Court Solicitors

At Watson Woodhouse, we have over thirty years of experience representing individuals in the Magistrates Court. The process can be daunting and stressful and we understand this. Our role is to diminish your concerns by thoroughly explaining court proceedings. We’ll provide you with a detailed understanding of your case and the possible defences available.

With your best interests at the forefront, we’re seeking to achieve the best possible outcome.

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.

What Our Clients Say

Latest Trustpilot Reviews

I would 100% recommend this practice. Andrew was fantastic, very efficient, full of good advice and fully represented my interests. Whenever I contacted the office the staff were very accommodating and professional. I will soon be going back to have a new will made and consider them now to be “my” solicitors. I am also grateful to the estate agent that pointed me in this direction.

Absolutely outstanding performance! If you are buying or selling a house, you need Watson and Woodhouse to do the conveyancing for you. Alisha Stevenson acted on my behalf for the purchase of my home and she completed the work in five weeks! Every other solicitor I approached said it would take twelve to sixteen weeks! I cannot say thank you enough times. Excellent communication. Excellent documentation. Excellent work. I highly recommend Watson and Woodhouse if you are considering buying or selling your house.

I have just used Watson Woodhouse for my conveyancing in my recent house sale. It was a total of 3 months from 1st hitting the market to completion and key handover. The services provided by Katie Gibson and Livvie Pruden were exceptional, keeping me in the loop and updated.

Sarah, Kirsty & Laura have helped me through the hardest time of my life. Their attention to detail, professionalism, empathy and kindness will be something that will stick with me forever.

A big thank you to Richard and the team at Watson Woodhouse. Your professionalism, knowledge and positive attitude made all the difference and ensured my house sale completed. You guided me through some complex issues and your advice was always first class

Watson Woodhouse looked after the sale of one house and the purchase of another. It was an excellent service. Alisha Stevenson made what is normally a stressful situation bearable with her professionalism. She is easy to talk to, She made herself available when she could and always returned a call when she couldn’t. Good value for money.

We used Watson Woodhouse for the sale of our home and purchase of our new bungalow. We would like to thank Katie Gibson, Jackie Howard and Livvie-Mae Pruden for all their help and support during this long process which was delayed by an issue with our vendor’s solicitors. The ladies acted with patience and kindness and were totally professional at all times. Thank you all so much.

This was a very stressful time for me selling and moving house when just getting over illness.Richard kept in touch and constantly gave me reassurance and explained anything I was unsure about.I felt looked after and well informed about everything I feel Richard went above and beyond to ensure I did not receive more stress than needed be.Thank you Richard I would recommend Richard Rutter excellent soliciter.

Let's Get Started

Call us on 01642 247 656 or request a callback for further information, or start a claim and one of our specialistMagistrates Court lawyers will be in touch.

Free Call Back

© Copyright 2026 Watson Woodhouse Limited | SRA no. 640409