Getting legal advice

You should get legal advice before you go to Court, to help you:

• prepare your case and
• decide how you should plead.

If you are thinking about representing yourself because you can’t afford a lawyer, contact the Legal Aid Commission to see if you can get legal aid.  The Hobart Community Legal Service can also assist people with minor criminal matters and help with getting legal aid grants.

If you haven’t had time to get legal advice, you can ask the Magistrate for an ‘adjournment’ before you plead guilty or not guilty. If the Magistrate agrees, the matter will be postponed to another day, to give you the chance to see a lawyer. You are entitled to an adjournment on your first appearance.

The Hobart Community Legal Service have duty lawyers available at the Hobart Magistrates Court.  The duty lawyer is a free services and they can assist you with adjournments, referrals and simple pleas of guilty.  The duty lawyer office is located next to Court 5 at the Hobart Magistrates Court.