Accredited Criminal Lawyers Melbourne

Peverting The Course Of Justice

Specialist criminal defence for perverting or attempting to pervert the course of justice charges. These are serious offences carrying maximum penalties of 25 years imprisonment. Expert defence from the beginning is essential.
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    Types Of Charges

    Emma Turnbull Lawyers' legal team appears daily in the Melbourne Magistrates’, County, and Supreme Courts. Clients select us because they want a firm with deep local knowledge of prosecutorial strategies and established professional respect among Victorian magistrates.


    In Victoria, the vast majority of people sentenced for perverting (or attempting to pervert) the course of justice receive either immediate prison time or a community-based order. Because the offence covers everything from minor lies to major cover-ups, sentences vary wildly based on the seriousness of the conduct. Charges for Perverting the Course of Justice or Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice are dealt with in the County or Supreme Court. Expert legal advice is important in ensuring the most appropriate defence to one of these charges.

    Once the case goes to court, it is up to the prosecution to prove all the elements of the offence they have charged. It is important that you seek expert legal advice to prepare a defence and to represent you in court as the more serious offences can carry a significant maximum sentence of imprisonment.

    Elements of the offences

    For the prosecution to prove the offences of Perverting the Course of Justice or Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice, they must prove beyond a reasonable doubt all of the elements of the offence charged, both of which are Common Law offences and the elements of each are as follows:

    Perverting the course of justice:
    - The accused engaged in conduct that did pervert the course of justice, and
    - The accused intended that the conduct pervert the course of justice.

    Attempting to pervert the course of justice:
    - The accused engaged in conduct that had a tendency to pervert the course of justice, and
    - The accused intended that the conduct pervert the course of justice.


    Will I have to go to court?

    Charges for Perverting the Course of Justice or Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice are dealt with in the County or Supreme Court. Expert legal advice is important in ensuring the most appropriate defence to one of these charges.

    Once the case goes to court, it is up to the prosecution to prove all the elements of the offence they have charged. It is important that you seek expert legal advice to prepare a defence and to represent you in court as both these offences carry a significant maximum sentence of imprisonment.


    Maximum penalty

    The maximum penalty for each of these offences is 25 years imprisonment. Between 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2021, 120 people were sentenced for Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice in the higher courts, with 56.7% (68 people) sentence to imprisonment and 36.7% (44 people) sentenced to a Community Corrections Order.

    Why Clients Choose Emma Turnbull Lawyers 

    Every case is overseen by an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist.

    At Emma Turnbull Lawyers, your matter is handled by a team of experienced criminal defence lawyers who focus exclusively on criminal law and intervention order matters. We act in complex, high-stakes cases across the Magistrates, County and Supreme Courts of Victoria providing strategic advice and strong advocacy from the outset and appear daily across the courts. Our team works closely together to develop strategy, share insight, and ensure every matter is prepared thoroughly and managed with precision. This collaborative approach delivers stronger outcomes and ensures no case is handled in isolation.

    Specialist

    Every lawyer on our team focuses exclusively on criminal law and intervention orders - no general practice distractions.

    Accredited

    Our partners hold specialist accreditation recognised by the Law Institute of Victoria - a qualification held by only a small number of lawyers.

    Strategic

    No generic advice, just strategic preparation and advocacy designed to protect futures.

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