Life can take unexpected turns. You may have found yourself charged with a criminal offence. You may face a road traffic, drink driving, assault or related charge, drug offences, council bylaw contraventions, infringement fines or other matters.

If so, let’s talk and discuss the options. Our Melbourne and Footscray based criminal lawyers are able to assist; don’t go to court alone. Contact us on (03) 9229 3834 or (03) 9191 0888 to arrange your initial consultation today.

​

TESTIMONIALS

“For anyone who needs legal assistance, I highly recommend Janice Quan as I was facing multiple counts of serious drug charges which landed me in Jail. Throughout my experience of being in jail for the first time, I had no knowledge or experience or even how to face the matter.

Janice put me at ease mentally with her legal experience and advice which assist me in getting through the tough times and with her dedication. She is a true professional keeping me updated with my case, preparing my case and she got me bail.

Also, every time I needed to speak with her, she never turns me down and acted promptly. I have no words to even show how appreciative I am towards her.

Anyone who requires an honest, dedicated and experienced lawyer for your legal matter, I have no hesitation in recommending Janice.

Thank you so much Janice Quan as I'm so appreciative towards the amount of time, dedication and effort you put

 

on my matter and I couldn't have asked or expected better then what you have achieved for me...!   

– William Truong

​

​

“I used Janice Quan and associates for my drink driving case. They are very experienced on every steps of the whole process I have been dealing with them, the case was dealt with high level of professionalism. They have always been available with a quick response and have strong willingness to support their client. I recommend them to anyone who wants knowledgeable and sincere lawyers and I will use them as my lawyer for next time too but I hope I dont get in trouble again. Thanks so much for helping me and getting job done with ease. I would put more than 5 stars if I could.” – Kuldeep Gosain

​

“Melbourne best female criminal lawyer. She gets Absolutely amazing results!! We been trying to fight a large commercial case for many years. Going back and forward in court spending so much time and funding. In the end Janice and her team manage to take it out of large commercial quantity to an unheard of result. Released immediately. Our family is so happy.

I would recommend anyone who is facing serious drug charges to give her a call a use her for their legal matter. She is professional, reliable and trustworthy lawyer. – Ian Tran

 

What Happens if I Plead Not Guilty to the Crime?

If you have been charged with a crime, you are immediately faced with two options: either plead not guilty, or plead guilty.

Clients always and understandably want to know – do I have a case, or should I plead guilty? Everyone is entitled to plead not guilty, and force the prosecution to prove their case in court. It is up to the prosecuting body (often the police, but could be local council or the RSPCA, for example) to prove their case against you.

If you plead not guilty, your defence lawyer will seek to poke holes in the prosecution’s case, and find the weaknesses in it. Charges generally need to be proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’; this is a high burden for the prosecution to meet.

A good defence lawyer will also be aware of any technical arguments which can be mounted to support your case; for example, whether certain evidence is admissible or not. In some cases, if the prosecution’s case is shown to be weak, the prosecutor can be convinced to withdraw the charges.

This is because if the police proceed with a weak case, the police may have to pay some of your legal costs if they can’t prove their case against you. It’s important to have a lawyer review your case early on and provide you with advise as to whether your case should be defended.

 

Should I Just Plead Guilty?

On the other hand, probably the vast majority of people going to court end up pleading guilty to the charges which have been laid against them. Why? Because if the evidence of the prosecution is very strong, and a conviction is inevitable, you may often be able to receive a significant discount in sentencing if you plead guilty and save the court time which would be otherwise spent hearing your case.

You should NOT plead guilty just because you want to avoid the stress of court. Many clients come to us and tell us about charges which they pleaded guilty to years ago – but they maintain they only pleaded guilty to as a result of pressure, and a feeling they would have no hope of proving their case in court.

Keep in mind that if you plead guilty you are admitting to the crime and it will generally go on your criminal record – this can have significant ramifications down the track. It’s always important to discuss your case with a criminal lawyer who can advise you on whether you have a case which can or should be contested.

Even if your case is not able to be contested, a good criminal lawyer can help you get the best possible result from entering a guilty plea. Call us on (03) 9229 3834 or (03) 9191 0888 for an initial, no-cost discussion about your case.

 

⚖ Our Criminal Law Service Areas ⚖

Our dedicated criminal lawyers are equipped to assist with a wide range of criminal law matters, including but not inclusive of:

• Appeals

• Assault Offences

• Asset Confiscation

• Bail Application

• Breach Offences

• Centrelink Fraud

• Children’s Court

• Drink and Drug Driving

• Driving Offences

• Family Violence

• Fraud Offences

• Infringement Warrants

• Intervention Orders

• Sex Offences

• Theft

• Traffic Offences

We have substantial experience in the Children’s Court, Magistrates’ Court, County Court and Supreme Court. If you have been or are due to be interviewed by police regarding a criminal offence or related matter, we can assist you. Contact us below to speak to a lawyer about how best to approach your matter.

​

Ready to start the conversation?