Criminal Lawyers Melbourne

Ordinarily, as soon as you instruct us to act on your behalf we would ask investigators or prosecutors for all evidence that they plan to use against you in proof of the case. In a summary prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court, this is known as the police brief; in committal proceedings for matters proceeding to the County Court or Supreme Court this may be called the plea brief or the hand up brief. If we need further information such as any prior convictions of prosecution witnesses, or evidence that you think is supportive of your innocence but has not been provided in the brief, we would ask for that further information or issue a subpoena for its production.

We then require your instructions as to which facts contained within the brief you accept and which you deny, and we will then provide our advice as to the availability of any defences.

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