Our Costs

No one wants to be ripped off by a greedy Lawyer and we can assure you that Murphy Lyons Lawyers will do everything we can to satisfy your legal needs.

What We Offer You

  • Certainty as to costs
  • Service
  • Professionalism

What Do I Get For This Fixed Price?

You get what you would expect from a Doctor, Accountant, Financial Adviser or when buying a pair of shoes or having our haircut – Cost Certainty.

We are very sympathetic to client’s financial limitation and their need for cost certainty.

This fixed fee applies in most Local Court pleas in mitigation if the offence and may include the following work by Murphy Lyons Lawyers:

  • Initial telephone conference;
  • conference or further unlimited conferences at our offices;
  • unlimited further telephone and email communications;
  • advice as to Driver Rehabilitation Programs;
  • advice as to the ignition interlock program;
  • taking your statement of facts and circumstances surrounding the events of the alleged offence, your antecedence, family history, education, interests, work history, medical history, community work and so on;
  • a written curriculum vitae or commonly known as your CV; (Think of it as a document you would create to get the job and impress your new boss).
  • taking statements from your witnesses;
  • perusal of Police statement of facts and blood alcohol certificate;
  • if a blood sample is available having it tested in a laboratory as to the measurement of alcohol;
  • analysing and advising you on the evidence as to possible defences and tactics;
  • obtaining your driving record from RTA;
  • attending the scene, arranging for photographs, advising you of possible defences including accident reconstruction analysis, pharmacological reports, medical reports from chest & breathing specialists, analysis of blood samples, and other possible avenues to prevent a conviction or at least minimise your penalty;
  • investigating the possibility of an alcohol interlock device ( electronic breath-alcohol analyser with a micro-computer and an internal memory, wired into a vehicle’s ignition system) to enable you to work and drive;
  • assistance in preparation of references from business acquaintances and friends as to your integrity, honesty and moderate drink habits, your community contributions (to the little nippers, bush fire brigade) and so on;
  • preparation prior to hearing of proposed submissions to be made to the court;
  • discussing those tactics and submissions with you and refining those submissions in accordance with your instructions;
  • attend court;
  • Make submissions on your behalf to the court in mitigation of the offence;
  • Advice about prospects of appeal to District Court, whether on all grounds or severity;

All of these matters and more are provided in a “fixed cost” approved Law Society Cost agreement for $1650 (including GST of $150 )

We endeavour to provide a fixed cost of $1650 for a Plea of Guilty, in most cases.

Nevertheless the costs in each case must be determined on many factors, including the seriousness of the charges, and most importantly the time absorbed by Murphy Lyons Lawyers in dealing with your case.

Other Matters

Each case has to be assessed by us on its merits.

Regardless of our opinion, we act on your instructions.

You are the boss, Murphy Lyons Lawyers are merely your legal advisers.

Frequently clients graciously listen to our advice and recommended tactics, but reject that advice and instruct us (as is their right) to defend the charges requiring the police to prove each and every element of the charge, as well as presenting evidence in reply.

Sometime the police are unable to prove a crucial element of a case, in which case the charge against you will be dismissed by the magistrate. Sometime it is a simple matter such as the witness is interstate, unavailable, sick, can’t be located or is dead.

The criminal onus and standard of proof imposed on the prosecution, is the standard of “beyond all reasonable doubts”. This means near enough is not good enough.

“Beyond” means it can’t have any other possible reasonable explanation.

If it has any other possible reasonable explanation then the burden of proof imposed on the police has not been satisfied, and the charge must be dismissed.

Lawyers sell their time, experience and service.

Measuring and costing our services varies from case to case.

No two cases are alike.

Sometimes because of the very serious nature of the charges, we believe that a barrister and other experts should be instructed as well. We have a panel of trusted criminal and traffic barristers.

It all takes preparation, effort, time, experience and most of all knowing what will assist the court, and how to present that information.

You could sit in a court all day waiting for your case to start, and not be reached or be part heard and adjourned to another day – it is terribly frustrating and time consuming, but there is no alternative, as there are simply not enough courts, judges, hours in a day, days in a week, days in a month and days in a year.

Nevertheless where possible we try and fix our costs, so that you will know with certainty exactly what our fees will be.

In trial hearings which can last days and weeks we can only provide a day to day assessment, as we have no control over the length of a hearing.

Nevertheless we are very sympathetic to client’s financial limitations and need for certainty.

These are matters we will discuss with you candidly and frankly, which must then be articulated in an approved Law Society Cost Agreement and signed by you.