Appeals

Criminal Appeals

Regardless of the nature or seriousness, if you believe that you have been convicted of an offence you did not commit or, if you are guilty and the sentence is clearly excessive, we can help you to put things right. An appeal can be successful if we can show that the judge did not apply the law properly or new facts about your case have come to light since the trial took place.

Platts Solicitors have the expertise and knowledge in dealing with all types of offences and at all levels of the appeal process. From tribunal appeals to the Magistrates Court and sentence and conviction appeals from the Magistrates to the Crown Court, Court of Appeal and as far as the House of Lords.

Whether or not an individual was originally represented by a solicitor, at Platts Solicitors we have a wealth of experience of re-analysing the most complex evidence and pay particular attention to an extensive and thorough examination of the unused material, in order to find gaps in the prosecution case and new evidence allowing us to advise on whether there can be any challenge to the conviction or sentence.

Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC)

The CCRC is the public body responsible for independently investigating alleged miscarriages of justice. An application can be made to the CCRC to refer a case to the Court of Appeal where an individual believes they have been wrongly convicted of a criminal offence, or wrongly sentenced, as long as they have been convicted in a criminal court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The principal role of the CCRC is “to investigate cases where people have been convicted and lost an appeal, but believe they have been wrongly convicted of a criminal offence”.

At Platt Solicitors our expert lawyers can help you put an effective case to the CCRC to maximise the chance of your case being referred back to the appeal courts for a fresh appeal.

Judicial Review

A judicial review is a legal process in which a challenge is made to the way in which the original hearing was conducted based on actions and decisions made by the government and public bodies. The 3 main grounds are:

• Illegality
• Procedural Unfairness
• Irrationality

A successful claim will lead to the decision being “quashed” or being deemed “invalid” and must be re-made.

Public Inquiry and Inquest

A public inquiry is conducted by a judge appointed by the government in relation to events that suggest a break down in the rule of law or where there has been a shocking crime or after a death or multiple deaths have occurred. Usually held when there is a public concern that something has happened requiring an open, fair, and thorough investigation so that changes can be implemented to avoid such events in the future. A report is prepared which can be used to bring civil or criminal cases to court after the inquiry.

Our priority is to provide the highest standard of representation in order to prevent a criminal prosecution.