Appealing A Conviction

If you have been found guilty of a motoring offence and honestly believe that you were wrongly convicted, you have the right to appeal against your conviction at a higher Court. At Seatons, our team of expert specialists can provide a thorough assessment of your case along with an analysis of your chances of success for a fixed fee. For more information, give us a call on 01536 276300 and receive a quote.

If you have been found guilty of a motoring offence and honestly believe that you were wrongly convicted, you have the right to appeal against your conviction at a higher Court. At Seatons, our team of expert specialists can provide a thorough assessment of your case along with an analysis of your chances of success for a fixed fee. For more information, give us a call on 01536 276300 and receive a quote.

How To Appeal

It is possible to appeal against your conviction in either of the following two ways

• Appeal to the Crown Court.
• Appeal to the High Court.

Appealing to the Crown Court would involve a retrial before a Judge and two Magistrates. Appealing to the High Court, on the other hand, would involve a hearing to determine whether the Magistrates Court had initially made a legal error and incorrectly applied certain aspects of law to your case.

Whichever path you choose to go down, a strict 21 day time limit applies within which you must lodge an appeal.  If this time limit has expired, it is still possible to lodge an appeal providing permission is obtained from a Judge in the Crown Court. At Seatons, we can help construct this application on your behalf to make the process as efficient and simple as possible.

During the appeal stages, the procedure will be noticeably more complex and formal than at the Magistrates Court and, as a result, specialist Higher Court Advocates and Barristers will be employed for the prosecution. To maximise your chances of succeeding therefore, it is vitally important that a firm of specialist solicitors are instructed to deal with your appeal.

If you were to lose your appeal, you would be required to pay the prosecution’s legal costs (which would be significantly higher than those imposed at Magistrates level). By instructing a firm of solicitors, you will be advised of your chances before any application is made in order to help minimise the risk of any adverse legal costs. By winning your appeal, you would be entitled to recover the costs of both planning your appeal and the legal fees lost initially at the Magistrates Court.