Fees
- At our initial meeting we will set out all the costs to you, go through the funding of your case and provide total transparency when calculating your fees. As your case progresses, we will let you know immediately if costs change.
- Under SRA Price Transparency Guidelines we are required to publish our prices and service information.
- Our team offers extensive years of legal expertise, and an experienced solicitor will deal with your matter from beginning to end.
- You will be advised where there may be a need for additional funding for what are known as disbursements incurred during a case, like expert witnesses or barristers, and you will be offered a breakdown of these costs.
Criminal Law Services
At Butt Solicitors, we provide clear, practical advice and representation at every stage of a criminal case. We offer both Legal Aid (where eligible) and private representation tailored to your needs and budget.
Motoring Offences
Legal Aid is not usually available for most driving matters.
We offer private fixed-fee or hourly rate services, depending on the case.
Fees reflect the complexity of the case, number of hearings, and whether expert evidence is required.
Fixed fees typically cover:
- Initial meeting and instructions
- Reviewing prosecution evidence
- Advising on prospects of success and procedure
- Representation at your trial date
- Additional hearings may incur further costs.
Motoring Offences
- Our expert solicitors offering advice and assistance for motoring offences where
legal aid is not available provide a service based on either a fixed fee or hourly
rates. - Legal Aid is not usually available for most driving offences and therefore we will
set out clearly in our initial meeting the cost you can be expected to pay. - This will also depend on several factors such as, but not limited to, the nature and
complexity of your matter, issues in your case, whether expert evidence is
required, how many witnesses are involved and the length of the hearing.
HOURLY RATES (Motoring Offences)
- The hourly rates will vary, depending on experience of the solicitor dealing with your case.
- An Assistant Solicitor will charge £250 per hour plus VAT.
- A Senior Solicitor or Partner will charge £350 per hour plus VAT.
FIXED FEES
(Motoring Offences)
- A fixed fee can also be agreed at the initial meeting.
- For representation at the Magistrates Court with a confirmed GUILTY PLEA from the outset you will be charged a fixed fee of £750 plus VAT. This will only include attendance at a single hearing.
- For representation at the Magistrates Court for a case listed for a trial, you will be charged a fixed fee of £2000 plus VAT. This will only cover the first day of trial. Any subsequent trial days will incur additional fees of £750 plus VAT per day.
- For submissions to the court that you would suffer ‘exceptional hardship’ if you were disqualified from driving under the ‘totting-up’ provisions we will charge a fixed fee of £1750 plus VAT. This will only include attendance at a single hearing.
- Fixed fees will cover work which include considering prosecution papers and all the evidence against you, meeting with you and taking your instructions, advising you of the prosecution case and strength of evidence against you, advising you of the law and court procedure, obtaining any witness statements, and attending court for a single hearing or for your trial (depending on whether you have pleaded guilty or not guilty).
- If additional hearing dates are listed, for example a sentence hearing, then there will be additional costs to the fixed fee, which you will be advised of.
VAT & DISBURSEMENTS
- Please note that VAT (20%) and usual disbursements are to be added to our fees, whether you pay by hourly rate or fixed fee.
- Disbursements are expenses related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Barrister fees, Court fees and Expert fees. Some of these disbursements will also be subject to VAT (20%), and we will advise you of these in advance.
- The amount charged for the disbursements depends upon the type of expert instructed and for what purpose, as well as the expert attendance at Court if applicable.
- Barristers fees are from £500 plus VAT depending on the type and complexity of the hearing.
- Experts costs can be from £1200 plus VAT depending on the type and complexity of the case.
- All additional costs and disbursements where applicable will be discussed with you in advance of instruction.
- For further information please contact our team nbutt@buttsolicitors.com.
Police Station Representation
Free advice and assistance is available to everyone under arrest, regardless of financial circumstances.
If you request Butt Solicitors at the police station, one of our solicitors or accredited representatives will attend and advise you.
We also support clients attending voluntary interviews under caution.
Continued advice is provided while the police decide on charges.
Call us immediately if you are asked to attend the police station.
OTHER CASES AT MAGISTRATES
COURT AND CROWN COURT
- If you are not eligible for legal aid or you decide to pay privately for your case which is not a motoring offence at the Magistrates Court or Crown Court, then we are able to provide you with a clear estimate of costs, depending on the nature and complexity of your matter, and we will be able to prepare your case in accordance to your budget.
- Again, this can be agreed at an hourly rate or fixed fee.
- For further information please contact our team nbutt@buttsolicitors.com.
Magistrates’ & Crown Court Representation
Legal Aid is available but depends on financial eligibility and the seriousness of the case.
In the Magistrates’ Court, eligibility is subject to a means and merits test.
In the Crown Court, most people qualify, though some may contribute towards costs.
For those funding their own defence, we provide clear cost estimates and flexible arrangements.
Contact us for Legal Aid checks or private representation advice.