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Thank you Armstrong Legal, the lawyers that have helped over the past 3 years but more importantly, thank you to Thomas Allen for the major part you and Mr Buckland played. Cannot thank you enough. Cheers.

- Client

Hi all. I would like to thank Ms Lisa Riley for all her help with my legal issues this past month. It was the most harrowing experience of my life and thanks to her expertise, professionalism and knowledge of the law, I came out almost unscathed. I have no hesitation in recommending Lisa Riley and Armstrong Legal if you need help. The service is amazing and the cost was very minimal for the great outcome. Thank you Lisa for helping me in the most difficult time.

- Client

I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My whole life I was thrown away, you made me feel like I did mean something. I could not have asked for a better lawyer. Your compassion and love for your job is inspiring. Your upfront and honesty were muchly appreciated, you are a beautiful person. Thank you for not giving up on me and thank you for all the work you put in. I wish you all the best for the future and I will be recommending you to everyone I know. You're amazing!!!!

- Client

I just wanted to thank you for representing me on Monday, I was overjoyed & relieved with the outcome. I don’t think it could have gone any better. All the best, I hope you got to celebrate this one instead after work, you forever made a difference in my life.

I know I thanked you before we parted company but please allow me to reiterate in writing my sincere deepest thanks for defending me in court today. … Armstrong Legal certainly has a great Lawyer you are a credit to the company and I'm quite sure you will secure a very successful future! … My Kindest Regards and Thanks

- Client

Throughout Angela has been the consummate professional. She maintained a calm, yet strong demeanour remained informative and completely open in her communication and took complete ownership of the situation. We felt confident we finally had an advocate to steer us out of the nightmare we were in, and she did so with great respect and sincerity. I cannot speak more highly of Angela. She has literally rescued our family from what looked very much like a hopeless future.

- Client

Words can’t describe how grateful I am to Trudie Cameron being my solicitor and to Andrew Tiedt presenting my case in the court. They both have been very supportive and amazingly professional and effective. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic outcome I couldn’t even dream about.

- Client

Soon after meeting Andrew I knew he was the solicitor I wanted to handle my matter. He immediately sprang into action which brought me stability and hope during a tumultuous time in my life. Andrew was never afraid to give me straight answers to my tough questions which is a true mark of integrity. He is clearly at ease in the court environment and I believe his calm and measured demeanour went a long way to helping me secure the best result from my day in court. I would certainly recommend you approach Andrew if you need assistance.

- Client

"Andrew Tiedt was very professional and considerate to personal circumstances and gave sound advice that resulted in the best outcome possible. Highly recommended."

This article was written by Michelle Makela - Legal Practice Director

Michelle has over 15 years experience in the legal industry, working across commercial litigation, criminal law, family law and estate planning. Michelle has been involved in all practice areas of the firm and in her personal practice has had experience in litigation at all levels (state and federal industrial tribunals, the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, Federal...

How to Write a Letter of Apology for Court

When you have pleaded guilty to a criminal offence in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria the Magistrate will consider many factors when deciding on a penalty. These factors include your remorse for the offending and the likelihood that you will offend again.

Generally, you will not be expected to speak directly to the magistrate if you have hired a lawyer for your plea hearing. For this reason, it can be helpful if you write a letter to the magistrate explaining how you feel about the offending and needing to appear at court, what you have learned and why you won’t offend again.

There is a temptation to copy examples of apology letters from the internet or from friends who have been in a similar situation. However, we advise against this, because magistrates can tell when the words in your apology letter are not your own. You should keep in mind that magistrates read hundreds of similar letters every week and can easily see when you have used a template or draft from online.

If you do use a draft prepared by someone else, it might lead the magistrate to think you are not apologetic and have not learned anything. This may lead to them giving you a harsher penalty than if you had shown sincere remorse through your own words. There really is no such thing as a bad apology letter if you have put effort in and been honest with the court. The magistrate doesn’t want to read a perfectly written piece; they want to know what you genuinely think and feel.

Hints and Tips for Drafting Your Letter

Address the letter to “The Presiding Magistrate” or “Your Honour”;
Sign and date the letter;
Ensure the contents of the letter fit on to one A4 page; and
Put the letter on business letterhead if you are self-employed.

What You Could Cover

How you felt when you were caught by police;
What you have learned from a Road Trauma Awareness Seminar, ReGen Program or some other form of counselling, therapy or treatment;
Briefly address any impact that possible penalties might have on you and your family;
How your offending could have impacted on others (such as police, emergency services, any victims, your family, society in general, the court) and how you feel about that;
How you felt telling people about your offence and asking them for character references;
Why your offence is so serious and how you feel knowing that you have committed it;
Why you will not offend again.

What to Avoid

Justifying your actions;
Presenting an argument for leniency;
Asking the Magistrate for certain outcomes;
Focusing on the impact that the penalty might have on you rather than the seriousness of your offence and how sorry you are.

If you require legal advice or representation in any legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.

WHERE TO NEXT?

If you suspect that you may be under investigation, or if you have been charged with an offence, it is vital to get competent legal advice as early as possible. Our lawyers are highly specialised in criminal law and will be able to guide you through the process while dealing with the various authorities related to your matter.

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