Legal aid for drug conspiracy proceedings
If you are prosecuted for a drug conspiracy offence, you may be eligible for a Representation Order from the Criminal Defence service (commonly known as ‘legal aid’).
Depending on the circumstances, A Representation Order may cover some or all of the cost of your defence against drug conspiracy charges.
If your case is heard in Magistrates’ Court, you will need to take both a means test and a merit test to determine your entitlement to legal aid. The means test determines how much financial assistance you need, while the merit test determines whether funding your legal defence is “in the Interests of Justice”.
If your case is tried in Crown Court, you will normally only be able to get part of your defence costs covered by legal aid. You will need to meet the rest of your Crown Court legal costs yourself, however, if you are found not guilty, any financial contribution you have made will be refunded with interest.
Transferring a Representation Order to our specialist drug conspiracy defence lawyers
If you have already had legal representation for your case, the cost of which was covered by a Representation Order, you may be able to transfer your case to us and keep your Legal Aid funding, depending on the circumstances.
To be able to transfer your Representation Order to our legal team, you will normally need to show that there are exceptional circumstances that make this necessary.
Examples of exceptional circumstances include where:
- Your current solicitor needs to withdraw for professional reasons (e.g. a conflict of interest) or personal reasons (e.g. a serious illness).
- Your relationship with your existing legal team has irretrievably broken down (e.g. you have been given poor advice that hurt your defence).
- There is another other “substantial compelling” reason that a judge is willing to accept (this is generally a very hard condition to meet).
Not sure whether you can transfer your Representation Order to our specialist drug conspiracy defence lawyers? Take a look at our guide to transferring your case to Conspiracy Solicitors.
Why choose our drug conspiracy defence lawyers?
For over 30 years, our highly respected criminal defence team has represented clients in some of the UK’s most serious drug cases. While we are based in the East Midlands, we are relied on by clients all over the country for our specialist expertise in these complex and challenging cases.
Headed by Senior Partner Christopher Milligan, our criminal defence team has over 200 years of combined experience, with particular expertise in cases related to conspiracy to produce and supply drugs.
We are accredited by the Law Society for Criminal Litigation, recognising our expertise in all areas of criminal prosecutions.
Thanks to our exceptional experience and training, we can ensure no detail is missed or angle of defence overlooked, allowing us to build the strongest possible defence to secure a fair outcome under even the most challenging circumstances.
Conspiracy Solicitor is a trading style of Bird and Co Solicitors LLP.
Get immediate expert representation from our specialist drug conspiracy solicitors
Are you facing charges or prosecution for a drug conspiracy offence? Get in touch with our expert criminal defence team now for advice or immediate representation.
Need immediate representation for drug conspiracy charges? Speak to our highly experienced drug conspiracy solicitors now by simple contact form to request a call back or contacting us on one of the following numbers:
- Call 0333 009 5968 – for standard enquiries during office hours
- WhatsApp 07535 215140 – for 24/7 emergency support including police station representation
