Melbourne Criminal Lawyers

Dribbin & Brown criminal lawyers represent clients at all levels on appeal, from a judicial registrar’s decision to the Magistrates Court, from a decision of the Magistrates’ Court to the County Court, from the County Court to the Court of Appeal and in certain circumstances  to the Supreme Court on judicial review. Learn more about appeal cases we handle.

The law in relation to violence and assault offences is constantly changing. Offences range from  intentionally causing serious injury, assault causing injury to on-duty emergency workers, through to one-punch warriors who assault someone, cause their death and face 10 years imprisonment as a mandatory minimum. The law in relation to assaults and violence is constantly in flux. There are avenues that allow these mandatory sentences to be navigated but as always, it requires experience, consideration of all the materials and solid strategic thinking to achieve the right outcome. Check here to see the various matters we have handled relating to violent offending.

If you have a loved one or a friend locked up by police because bail has been denied, you should call our office as we can help. We have a 24-hour phone line available to provide advice to you. We work very closely with barristers that are available at short notice to appear in a remand / bail application hearing. For more information on bail and the services we provide please check here.

Dribbin & Brown have been involved in all types of drug cases, from charges involving low  level trafficking through to cases involving large commercial quantities. We have acted for Chinese nationals in relation to large quantity importations utilising cargo ships, we have represented people involved in large syndicates, and we have also routinely represented the street trafficker who is only dealing to support their own habit. Every case is different and involves a detailed consideration of the evidence. Most evidence in relation to drug trafficking is circumstantial, and this is why attention to detail and experience counts. If you have been charged with drug trafficking call our office today.

Pleading guilty to drink driving charges can have serious ramifications. You can lose your licence, lose your liberty, lose your clean record, lose your car and then suffer all the other things that happen because of the above. We have represented thousands of defendants in relation to drink driving. With this type of offending, the law is complicated, the Magistrates are generally very difficult  and the prosecution unhelpful. For these reasons it is important that you engage competent representation. Click on “more information” to the right to view case studies and read a comprehensive article in relation to all aspects of sentencing in respect of drink driving offences.

Driving whilst suspended and driving whilst disqualified are very common charges, but make no mistake, they are taken very serious by the Magistrates’ Court. There is a great deal of discretion left to Magistrates when dealing with these types of charges, so it is very important that you engage lawyers who understand the court system and understand the law in this area. If you have been charged with either of these charges you should engage a lawyer with experience who knows how to persuade a Magistrate to exercise discretion in your favour. Dribbin & Brown has represented countless clients in relation to these charges. We can help. Go here or here for more information.

Family violence is taken very seriously by police, politicians and the Magistracy in general. Matters move extremely quickly, and the chips are stacked against you from the very start. Often within a couple of days of an incident occurring, you will have been provided a court date and either summonsed or put on bail to appear. There is never much time in relation to these types of matters, so you need to engage lawyers quickly that understand the system and can assist you in obtaining the best outcome. Dribbin and Brown have acted for respondents, applicants and defendants in relation to family violence breaches and assaults. If you have been charged or have an intervention order matter listed at Court, call our office to make an appointment, so we can assist you in devising the best strategy for your case.

Dribbin & Brown handle theft, fraud, armed robbery and burglary matters. We have handled matters as small as a shop theft and as large as a 50 million dollar fraud involving the Commonwealth Bank. Whichever the case, a criminal record for theft can be catastrophic. If you have been charged with fraud, theft or any other dishonesty offence, call our office today to make an appointment with one of our lawyers or read on for more information .

Dribbin & Brown has been involved in a number of Royal Commissions. Go here to see some of the matters we have handled. It is not unusual for one of our partners to be in another state representing clients at a Royal Commission. If you have been summonsed or asked to participate in a Royal Commission, please read our information page and then make an appointment to see someone from our office to consider how to proceed.

Dribbin & Brown’s lawyers have appeared in thousands of sheriff & infringement warrant cases, including both appeal against revocation application refusals and section 160 discharge applications. The law has changed in relation to how much a Magistrate can discharge in these types of matters so now, more than ever, it is important to obtain competent representation so you can have your unpaid fines reduced as much as possible. For more information on your rights in relation to sheriff and infringement warrants click on ‘More Info’ to the right.

Dribbin & Brown Criminal Lawyers handle a large volume of sex offence cases. Sexual offending is treated very differently to other types of offending by the Magistrates, Judges and the Legislature. There are special rules and processes when you are charged with sex offences, and the courts will often move these types of offences very quickly through the court system. There are also special rules of evidence that apply which, in some circumstances, impact on whether or not the accuser can be cross-examined in the preliminary hearings. Many lawyers are not aware of these special processes. It is vital with all offences – but especially in relation to sex offending – that you engage specialist lawyers who are experienced in handling this type of work. For more information in relation to sex offence jury trials click here,  or go to ‘More Info’ on the right to read more about the court processes that apply in relation to sexual offence charges.