If you've been charged with an offence or even if you think you're going to be charged with an offence, it's crucial to get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Having a criminal conviction can complicate your life in ways you might not anticipate until it happens. Therefore, it's a common concern for individuals facing a criminal charge to explore options for keeping their record clean.

In New Zealand law, an appeal is a process where you seek an alternative opinion from a higher court when a case hasn't worked out in your favor. This process is typically used in two scenarios: one is against conviction, and the other is against the sentence or the order made against you, including bail orders.

The diversion scheme is a program administered by the police in New Zealand, designed to keep records clean. It's typically offered to individuals on their first offence, provided that the offence is relatively minor.

Domestic violence is taken very seriously by the courts in New Zealand. It typically involves charges related to an immediate family member and can include assault, wilful damage, threatening behaviour, and breaches of a protection order.

When it comes to domestic violence cases in New Zealand, the court's approach can be somewhat more lenient than in other cases when considering a discharge without conviction. This is because the court takes into account the impact a conviction may have on your family moving forward, such as employment issues and how these might affect your partner and children.

In New Zealand law, there's a provision that allows individuals to maintain a clean record even after pleading guilty or being found guilty of a charge. This is known as a discharge without conviction.

I’m a Barrister specialising in criminal and traffic law. This includes offences involving drink driving, driving while disqualified, domestic violence, financial crime, drugs, assault and many more.