Richmond upon Thames has one of the lowest crime rates in London, and the criminal law reaches most of its residents through a speed camera. The A316, the Upper Richmond Road and the 20 mph limit in Richmond Park produce a stream of speeding, totting-up and exceptional hardship cases; cyclists have been prosecuted under the park's own regulations; and Twickenham's pubs on a match day and Richmond's riverside on a summer evening supply the drink-driving, public order and assault cases that criminal law solicitors in the borough see most often. For a commuter or a parent on the school run, losing a licence is the real punishment, and a solicitor who knows the magistrates' approach to special reasons and hardship earns the fee.
The rest of the caseload is small but serious. Domestic abuse occurs in large houses as in small; burglary of expensive homes comes in waves; drug possession and supply follow the pubs and parks; and the borough's professionals are, from time to time, the subject of fraud, tax or regulatory investigations by HMRC, the Financial Conduct Authority or their own professional bodies, which need a solicitor used to interviews under caution and managing a career alongside a case.
The police station is the first stop for everyone; advice there is free whatever the suspect's income, on arrest or at a voluntary interview, and what is said shapes the case. Magistrates' matters are listed at the courts serving south-west London, and anything serious goes to Kingston Crown Court next door. Legal aid is means-tested in the magistrates' court and many Richmond defendants will not qualify, so private fees matter: motoring cases are usually fixed-fee and other work is estimated by stage.
Richmond upon Thames defence firms appear below, verified firms first. For background, read what criminal law involves and the article on free legal help, see the criminal law solicitors page for the service generally, and find Crown Court specialists under criminal law solicitors in Kingston upon Thames.
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