The role of a criminal solicitor is to ensure that those accused of a criminal offence are given a fair trial and achieve the best possible outcome for their client.

This may be complete acquittal, a plea agreement, or a reduced sentence, but whatever the details of your case, having a respected criminal solicitor alongside you will ensure you have the strongest defence possible.

Aamer Anwar & Co are Scotland’s leading criminal defence law firm and are specialists in all areas of national and international crime and regulatory law.

When defending clients from criminal cases our criminal solicitors will conduct a range of different services when building your defence, analysing evidence, representing you in interviews and in court, offering advice at all stages, and creating and implementing a defence strategy.

What crimes can a criminal defence solicitor handle?

Anyone accused of a criminal offence is entitled to legal representation, meaning that criminal solicitors are required to be experts in many different crimes and aspects of the law.

Criminal accusations that criminal solicitors defend their clients against on a regular basis include anything from a minor traffic offence to the most serious crimes such as first-degree murder, GBH, and rape.

Some of the most common criminal offences that a criminal solicitor is qualified to deal with are:

• Robbery
• Theft
• Forgery
• Fraud
• Motoring offences
• Weapon Charges
• Assault
• Rape
• Murder
• Manslaughter
• Sexual Offences
• Drug offences.

What does a criminal solicitor do?

A criminal defence lawyer Glasgow will represent you throughout the entirety of your case from allegation to conclusion.

Their main responsibilities include analysing important information in connection to allegations against you, gathering supporting evidence, and finding precedents from previous cases that may be beneficial in court.

They will also represent you in police interviews and during any court case that may take place, protecting you from accidentally saying the wrong thing that may cause harm to your case and informing you of your rights at all times.

What does a criminal solicitor do in court?

A good criminal solicitor can often prevent cases from going to court at all, whether by discrediting the prosecution’s evidence and having the charges against you dropped or by negotiating a plea agreement or out of court settlement.

However, many criminal cases do go to court, especially when the allegations are in regard to a crime of a very serious nature, and if this does happen your solicitor will represent you during the court case.

This representation includes a wide variety of tasks before the court date itself, carefully analysing all the evidence against you, and developing the strongest possible defence plan.

This process will include preparing for the cross-examination of witnesses and looking for potential weaknesses in the prosecutions’ evidence.

During the case your criminal solicitor will do everything they can to have the charges against you dropped, presenting the strongest possible case by questioning witnesses, challenging the evidence presented against you, and working to get the jury on your side.

If acquittal is unachievable, they will work to limit the sentence given by expressing your remorse, rehabilitation potential, or mitigating circumstances that should be taken into account.

Simply put, whatever the outcome of your court case when you hire a professional criminal defence solicitor from Aamer Anwar you can rest assured that the best possible outcome will be achieved.

What does a criminal solicitor do after trial?

The job of a criminal solicitor does not end upon sentencing, and there may be further steps that can be taken immediately in regard to the decision made.

In the event that a harsh sentence is handed out such as a prison term, it may be worthwhile filing an appeal against the sentence in an attempt to secure a shorter period of imprisonment.

If your solicitor believes that there is merit in such an appeal, they will advise you of such, and take your wishes into account.

If you wish to go ahead with an appeal, they will organise the entire process for you and fight for a reduced sentence.

Why choose Aamer Anwar

Aamer Anwar& Co is Scotland’s highest profile law firm, with award winning criminal solicitors that offer unrivalled specialist knowledge of national and international crime and regulatory law.

If you are facing criminal allegations of any kind, hiring a solicitor from us will ensure that a tailor-made team is fully committed to creating the best possible defence for your case.

We have a fearsome reputation taking on the legal system in Scotland, guaranteeing you access to the latest expertise and effective representation from accusation to resolution.

For legal representation from our highly qualified legal team contact us today by phone on 0141 429 7090, or via email at office@aameranwar.com.

If you are married or in a civil partnership and are looking for either a divorce or a dissolution often you or your partner will leave the family house. But this isn’t always possible – usually due to financial constraints, or the need to maintain a stable environment for children. These circumstances tend to mean you have no option other than to remain living together in the same home.

If you and your partner are in the process of separating while living together, you may be able to sort things out legally. However, if your ex-partner refuses to stick to what you have agreed or you just want a better idea of what your rights are, then it is an excellent choice to get professional advice. In this article we’ll look at the options you have.

How does the law define living apart?

You are legally allowed to divorce a spouse when living together but you must show that you are living separate lives.

An important thing to consider is the legal definition of living apart. If you’ve spent time living in the same household during your separation, you’ll need to prove to a court you have been living apart.

Living apart in the same household means you do not share any activities or finances.

The court can request from you a detailed statement of your living arrangement.

How to make a financial agreement when separating or divorcing

Once you have made the decision to separate or divorce you will need to disconnect your finances. This is never easy or straight forward, and the impact of it will end being felt by both parties. A variety of assets are divided during the process, and may include,

• The family home
• Any other property that you own – for example, any buy-to-lets
• The pension point – both state and private pension
• Savings
• Business interests
• Investments

It is important for both parties to make a full disclosure to one another about their financial circumstances, which includes everything listed above as well as any money you will owe regarding loans and or credit cards.

Options for legal and financial advice

It is not always necessary to get legal and or financial advice when you are separating from your partner.

If your ex-partner will not stick to your agreement or you just want to know what your rights are, then getting advice is always worthwhile.

Solicitor

Solicitors are trained and educated to provide you with information on your rights, entitlements, as well as your responsibilities.

A solicitor is incredibly helpful because they can handle things such as legal forms for divorces and marriage dissolutions, dealing with complex paperwork (which if improperly filled in can be rejected by a court, significantly delaying the process).

Solicitors at Oracle Law Clarkston can work hard to negotiate directly on your behalf with your ex-partners solicitor. They can provide extensive legal advice as well, which is invaluable. Solicitors are also often able to provide you with information about financial entitlement you might not have been aware of.

If your ex-partner won’t negotiate with you, a solicitor can act as a superb intermediary.

Collaborative Family Lawyer

A collaborative family lawyer is a specially trained solicitor who will work to help you and your ex-partner come to an agreement. In these situations, both parties have their own collaborative family lawyer.

Collaborative family lawyers often result in much more positive conclusions. Both you and your ex-partner will sign an agreement to not go to a court, and work to resolve the issues. This is however often a more demanding process than other options.

Mediators

Mediators can help both you and your ex-partner to reach an agreement regarding both children and financial matters. A mediator is a neutral party – their job is to help a couple to work towards a final agreement.

Many family lawyers are trained as mediators.

Meditation works best in scenarios where both parties are trusting one another to be open and honest. It is inappropriate in scenarios where domestic violence has occurred.

Mediator benefits

• Mediation is often quicker and more cost effective than standard lawyer led divorces and dissolution.
• Meditation is flexible and does not necessarily have to cover all areas of a divorce or dissolution
• Mediators provide confidential advice. This means that anything discussed with them cannot be discussed in a court or used by a solicitor.

Arbitration

Family arbitration involves you and your ex-partner appointing an arbitrator. They will make a decision that is final and binding between both of the parties. It will aim to resolve both financial and property disputes, as well as any child-related issues.

Arbitration aims at enabling a family going through a breakdown to resolve the dispute in a quick but confidential manner. Arbitration offers a less formal and demanding environment than a courtroom.