Criminal Defence Solicitors in Manchester & Bolton

We are Law Society accredited for Criminal Litigation, which means that our criminal defence team have met the high standards the Law Society sets to ensure that we have demonstrated through external examination that we have and will maintain a high level of knowledge, skills, experience and practice in the area of criminal litigation.

Read our 5 top tips if you are charged or summonsed with a criminal offence here.

Read our 5 top tips if you are arrested here.

Contact our Criminal department now!

Fieldings Porter has a large and experienced team of 4 duty solicitors and police station accredited representatives handling cases from the initial investigation stage at the police station through to trial in either the Magistrates or Crown Court.

Police Station Representation

If you accused of committing a crime and want help at a police station, call our 24 hour emergency telephone number 07786 655345 and one of our representatives will attend with you. This number is also available at all local police stations. We cover all police stations in the Greater Manchester area and Lancashire. All representation at the police station is free of charge regardless of your financial circumstances. We can assist if you have been contacted by the police for a voluntary attendance. You must ensure that you ask for Fieldings Porter when you are booked in to the custody suite. Don’t leave anything to chance. Our involvement will not delay your time in custody as we will be acting in your best interests all the time. Don’t go into an interview with the Police without us!

Magistrates and Youth Court

If you are charged with a criminal offence, you will first appear in the Magistrates or Youth Court. If we represented you at the police station then we will continue to do so at court. If we did not, it is still not too late to contact us in order for you to instruct us prior or at your first appearance. We will then be able to advise you regarding the strength of the evidence and take your instructions prior to a plea being entered. We will also assist in making an application for a Legal Aid Representation Order.

If you earn too much to qualify for legal aid or are charged with an offence that does not carry custody, such as some road traffic offences, we can act for you on a privately paying basis. Details of our competitive hourly or fixed fee rates are available when you contact us. We can also come to arrangements to pay a fixed fee for work to be done and regular payments can be made during the lifetime of your case. This is especially the case in road traffic cases where you may be at risk of losing your licence through disqualification and consequently your job and livelihood. We are experienced in dealing with special reasons arguments and exceptional hardship submissions and will guide you through the court process. If we run a trial for you and you are found not guilty or you case is dismissed, we can apply for costs from Central Funds. This means you may recover some, if not all, of your costs you paid to us.

If you have not committed the offence as alleged by the Police and Crown Prosecution Service, you should plead not guilty and in due course a trial will be fixed. Fieldings Porter has more experienced trial advocates than any other firm in Bolton and have established a reputation for achieving not guilty verdicts. We have two Solicitor Advocates with Higher Rights of Audience who also conduct trials and hearings in the Crown Court in Bolton, Manchester and other courts in the North West. Their expertise and knowledge is shared with others in the department to ensure you receive the best quality advice and assistance.

Crown Court Trial

If your case is to be dealt with at the Crown Court we have experienced people who will handle and prepare your case in order to achieve the best outcome. Because of our full range of services we can ensure continuity from the police station all the way to a Crown Court trial.

If you wish to tell us of an appearance at the police station or court that you have in the near future, then please contact us to discuss, on 01204 540900 or 0161 834 4722.