At Stevens, the proprietor Alan Caldwell and his team are waiting to guide you through the legal maze of police and court procedures.
At the police station we all have certain rights which must be explained to any detained person by the custody sergeant. One such right is the right to speak to an independent solicitor free of charge. To support this right a Duty Solicitor Scheme exists to service every police station where individuals may be detained.
It is quite astonishing how often people in custody fail to speak to a Duty Solicitor. More often than not, it is because they believe that they can "handle it themselves" and that they personally "don't need a solicitor". They ignore the fact that the Duty Solicitor is independent of the police and will be there to fight their corner as long as they are detained. More often than not the Duty Solicitor will be their only ally whilst they are within the system and under investigation. A Duty Solicitor can keep things moving. Given that the police can initially hold a suspect for up to 24 hours without charge, and even for up to 36 hours in certain circumstances, it is vital to have a solicitor on your side, challenging and questioning your continued detention.
Depending on your financial circumstances, legal aid may be available for us to represent you in most criminal matters. For further details see our legal aid section . If you are not financially eligible for legal aid but you are on a low income, we may be able to offer you discounted rates under our reduced fee scheme. Please do not hesitate to contact us for a free assessment.