Criminal Law

Criminal defence lawyers in Sydney

From the first mention in the Local Court to a trial in the Supreme Court. Every charge, every court, every appearance.

Lovemore Ndou with a client outside the Sydney Law Courts

Charged is not convicted

However minor the charge looks on the paperwork, this is likely one of the most stressful and confusing periods of your life. Being charged makes you the focus of a set of very powerful institutions, all of them organised around securing a conviction.

We understand exactly how much is at stake, because the consequences of a criminal proceeding are not confined to the courtroom. They reach your employment, your visa, your licence, your children and your name.

So we do everything that can properly be done. We test every element of the prosecution case, we brief the right counsel where counsel is needed, and we appear on your behalf at each and every court date, so you can keep going to work rather than sitting in a courtroom waiting for a mention to be called.

Fixed-rate pricing is available for a number of our criminal law services. Conditions apply.

Experience

Trials and appeals at every level

Lovemore Lawyers has conducted trials and appeals in the Local Court, the District Court and the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and has provided effective, affordable representation to hundreds of people charged with criminal offences.

You will receive regular, detailed updates on your matter, and your questions will be answered by the person running your case rather than passed down a chain. Our reputation is bound up in yours.

You cannot step into the ring doubtful. That is when you get knocked out. It is the same in a courtroom.Lovemore Ndou

Local Court: Mentions, bail, summary hearings, pleas, sentencing, licence appeals and committals.
District Court: Indictable trials before a judge and jury, sentence hearings, and appeals from the Local Court.
Supreme Court: The most serious indictable matters, including homicide, and urgent bail applications.
Appeals: Severity and conviction appeals, and matters before the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Diversion: Section 14 mental health applications, formerly known as section 32 applications.

Charges we defend

There is no charge beyond us

We take on all criminal matters, from a first traffic offence to the most serious indictable prosecutions.

Assault & domestic violence

Common assault, ABH, GBH, and apprehended domestic violence orders, both defending and applying.

Drink driving & traffic

PCA and DUI charges, drive whilst disqualified, negligent driving, licence appeals and demerit point matters.

Drug charges

Possession, supply, deemed supply, cultivation, and large commercial quantity prosecutions.

Theft, robbery & break and enter

Larceny, fraud, robbery, aggravated break and enter, and receiving.

Sexual offences

Sensitive, complex prosecutions run with the care and the preparation they demand.

Homicide

Murder and manslaughter, including trial preparation and Supreme Court appearances.

Weapons & firearms

Prohibited weapons, unauthorised firearms, and possession in a public place.

Malicious damage

Destroying or damaging property, including matters aggravated by fire.

Corporate & white collar crime

Fraud, dishonesty offences, and regulatory prosecutions.

Bail applications

Local Court release applications and Supreme Court bail, prepared and argued urgently.

Pleas & sentencing

Section 10 submissions, conditional release orders, intensive correction orders and mitigation.

Appeals

Severity appeals, conviction appeals, and appeals to the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Common questions

Criminal law, answered plainly

I have been charged. What is the first thing I should do?

Say nothing further to police beyond your name and address, and call a criminal lawyer before you participate in any interview. What you say in the first hour frequently decides the case. Then call us on 0450 500 301.

Will I go to gaol?

For most charges, no. Sentencing in New South Wales runs across a range of options, from a conditional release order without conviction through to full-time imprisonment. Where you land depends on the charge, your record, and how well the case in mitigation is prepared. That preparation is the work.

Can I get a criminal conviction avoided?

In appropriate cases the court can find an offence proven but decline to record a conviction, under section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act. It is discretionary and it must be argued properly, with material the court can act on.

What is a section 14 application?

It is an application to divert a matter away from the criminal justice system and into treatment, where the accused has a mental health impairment or cognitive impairment. It replaced the old section 32 application. Where it applies, it can end the prosecution entirely.

Do you appear in court yourself?

Yes. We appear on behalf of our clients at every court date, so you can keep working and keep your family steady rather than sitting in a courtroom all day waiting for a mention.

Which courts do you appear in?

The Local Court, the District Court, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and appeals from each. Lovemore Lawyers has run trials, committals, sentences and appeals at every level.

Speak to Lovemore

Charged? Call before you speak to police

The first hour matters more than any other. Get someone in your corner before the interview, not after it.

Book a consultation Call 0450 500 301