Specialist Criminal Defence Lawyers

JD Solicitors are specialist criminal defence lawyers. Our SRA accredited practice operates out of our Birmingham and Willenhall offices to bring you the West Midlands leading criminal defence law firm.

If you have been accused of any criminal offence, arrested and held in a police station for questioning, requested to attend a voluntary interview, facing criminal charges or have concerns about possible offences, we can help. Simply fill out the form to get in touch and one of our legal team will get back to you.

Our specialist criminal defence solicitors offer:

Criminal offences we cover include

Drug Offences

Our expert drug offence solicitors can provide clear advice, a robust defence and expert legal representation when you need it most

Sexual Offences

Whether you have been accused of a sexual offence, been arrested, charged, released on bail or under investigation, we can act as your defence

Financial Offences

Our experts provide advice and assistance across a wide range of investigations and prosecutions instigated by the criminal and regulatory authorities

Violent Crime Solicitors

Violent Crime

It is critical that you contact us, as soon as possible, if accused of a violent crime to ensure you have quality legal representation right at the outset.

Cyber Crime

If you have been arrested or charged with an online offence, or are concerned you may have committed an offence online, you should seek expert legal advice immediately.

 

Conspiracies

Whatever the nature of the alleged conspiracy, our expert criminal law solicitors are ready to help defend you and protect your rights and interests, when you need them most.

White Collar Crime

Credibility and authority when you need it most. The region’s leading companies turn to JD to help them manage corporate crime risk.

Fraud

There are serious consequences to allegations of fraud. That is why you need to contact JD’s expert serious fraud solicitors who can help protect you, your reputation and your rights.

 

Burglary & Theft

Shoplifting, theft, burglary, robbery and handling of stolen goods are classed as serious crimes and expert legal advice should always be taken if you are arrested on suspicion of any of these offences

If your offence isn’t listed above, we can still most likely help you! Please click the button to get in touch with our criminal defence team today

Why Choose JD As Your Criminal Defence Solicitors?

Being arrested or at risk of conviction can be an extremely upsetting, confusing and stressful time with potentially life changing consequences if you were to be convicted of an offence. This is why it is very important you choose the right criminal defence lawyers to be on your side from the moment you are arrested, to defend you and obtain the best possible result for you. 

Here at JD Solicitors, we have worked and won many significant high-profile cases with a proven track record and reputation in helping clients to get the best possible outcomes in their cases. These outcomes may involve avoiding charges, dismissal hearings, securing early acquittals or achieving not guilty verdicts in court, through to achieving reduced penalties suspended sentences and time served where a conviction cannot be avoided.

We have expert knowledge and huge experience within the criminal justice system and extensive knowledge of criminal law, so you can be confident knowing your case is in experienced hands. 

JD Solicitors have gained a reputation for successfully defending court cases and our professional advice can offer high-quality support for clients who have been accused of a criminal offence. If you have been accused of committing a crime but cannot see it listed here, please give our friendly team a call today and we will see if we can help.

Alternatively, we can provide a free independent advice/service if you are arrested and taken into custody by a custody sergeant. Please ask for us at the police station or contact JD Solicitors on our 24-hour emergency contact number: 07971 194 042

Funding your defence

You are entitled to free legal advice and representation when arrested or interviewed under caution. This can be from a duty solicitor or a solicitor of your choosing and is not means tested. We would advise contacting your own solicitor as the police will provide you a duty solicitor who may not be familiar with and not had a chance to consider if they will be the right advocate for you. JD Solicitors are specialist criminal defence practitioners.

If you are charged with an offence and legal proceedings against you are started, you can apply to have your defence covered by legal aid subject to qualification. How much assistance you can claim and how you can apply will depend on the interest of justice test and your means test. You can find more information on legal aid here.

Alternatively, if you feel that you wish to pay fees privately for all of the costs for your defence, we will clearly explain the costs involved and fee structures.

Criminal Defence FAQs

If you’re arrested, you will usually be taken to a police station, held in custody in a cell until the police are ready to interview/question you.

After you have been questioned, from our experience, the police very often release you without charge, occasionally charge with a crime or police bail you to re attend the station while they carry out further enquiries.

The custody officer at the police station must explain your rights. You have the right to:

  • get free legal advice
  • tell someone where you are
  • have medical help if you’re feeling ill
  • see the rules the police must follow (‘Codes of Practice’)
  • see a written notice telling you about your rights, eg regular breaks for food and to use the toilet (you can ask for a notice in your language) or an interpreter to explain the notice

You’ll be searched and your possessions will be kept by the police custody officer while you’re in the cell.

The police may question you about the crime you are suspected of – this is usually recorded. You do not have to answer the questions as this is your right but there could be consequences if you don’t. The police must explain this to you by reading you the police caution:

“You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”

It is very important to have a professional and legally qualified person assist you during this crucial process. They will be able to gain police disclosure as to what the case is about in advance of the interview and then discuss options including your right to silence and potential defences available in law available. If you are worried about being questioned by the police then please have a solicitor even if you do not wish to instruct us, as it is a free service. 

The police can hold you for up to 24 hours before they have to charge you with a crime or release you. Very often the police will release you within 3 to 4 hours in terms of general criminal offences but for the more serious offences of Murder etc this process can take longer.

They can apply to hold you for up to 36 or 96 hours if you’re suspected of a serious crime, eg murder.

Furthermore the police have powers to hold you without charge for up to 14 days if you’re arrested under the Terrorism Act.

Please note if we are instructed, we continue to monitor the detention review and custody clock with the custody sergeant, inspector, police superintendent and at times before a magistrate’s court. This means we will continually and rigorously make representations for your release.

The police can release you on police bail if there is not enough evidence to charge you. You do not have to pay to be released on police bail, but you will have to return to the station on the date and time required.

You can be released on conditional bail if the police charge you and think that you may:

  • commit another offence
  • fail to turn up at court
  • intimidate other witnesses
  • obstruct the course of justice

This means your freedom will be restricted in some way, eg they can impose a curfew on you if your offence was committed at night.

The police have the right to take photographs of you. They can also take fingerprints and a DNA sample (eg from a mouth swab or head hair root) from you as well as swabbing the skin surface of your hands and arms. They don’t need your permission to do this.

The police need both your permission and the authority of a senior police officer to take samples like blood or urine, or to take dental impressions.

This doesn’t apply when they take a blood or urine sample in connection with drink or drug driving.

This information from fingerprints and samples is stored in the police database. You can obtain a copy of your police records from your local police station and can write to your local police to have your information removed from the database if an offence no longer exists or if the police process of obtaining your information was unlawful.

The Police can only question you without legal advice if you have not requested it. If requested, the police can’t question you until you have legal representation with some exceptions. You can be made to wait for legal advice in serious cases if a senior officer agrees. The longest you can be made to wait before receiving legal advice is 36 hours after arriving at the police station, or 48 hours for suspected terrorism offences. 

If you are charged with a crime you will be given a ‘charge sheet’. This sets out the details of the crime you are being charged with.

The police will decide if you:

  • can go home until the court hearing – but may have to follow certain rules, known as ‘bail’
  • are kept in police custody until you are taken to court for your hearing

Your first court hearing after you are charged with a crime will be at a magistrates’ court – even if your trial will be at a Crown Court later on.

You can be released on bail at the police station after you’ve been charged. This means you will be able to go home until your court hearing.

If you are given bail, you might have to agree to conditions like:

  • living at a particular address
  • not contacting certain people
  • giving your passport to the police so you cannot leave the UK
  • reporting to a police station at agreed times, for example once a week

If you do not stick to these conditions you can be arrested again and be taken to prison to wait for your court hearing.

You might not be given bail if;

  • you are charged with a serious offence, for example armed robbery
  • you’ve been convicted of a serious crime in the past
  • you’ve been given bail in the past and not stuck to the terms
  • the police think you may not turn up for your hearing
  • the police think you might commit a crime while you’re on bail

If the court decides to put you on remand it means you will go to prison until your hearing at a magistrates’ court.

If you are under 18 you will be taken to a secure centre for young people, not an adult prison.

Let Us Represent You

Our specialist criminal defence team are here and on hand to assist you in your time of need. Simply fill out the form below and one of our team will be in touch imminently to discuss your case. 

Great solicitors , highly recommended, I would definitely use these should I require there services in the future , professional , polite and reliable
Zoe Holdsworth
Zoe Holdsworth
2020-10-30
I bust case, the feds were steech me up and these sols kept me out. Respect fam.
Marcus Robinson
Marcus Robinson
2020-10-04
Fantastic service and advice given
James Abraham
James Abraham
2020-01-23
From my personal experience, i have had a lot of solicitors in my lifetime as i am no angel! I can honestly say they have beaten my expectations and more, i cannot praise them enough, they have done good for me. Spot on!
Conrad McCoy
Conrad McCoy
2019-11-30
I can only say my personal experience has been super. They have been friendly professional solicitors who reassured me every step of the way on my case and this achieved the desired outcome. I cannot fault them and i cannot speak for others.
Allen Harris
Allen Harris
2019-11-16
Excellent service! They gave me accurate and consistent advice definitely recommend.
Michael Ainsworth
Michael Ainsworth
2019-08-05