Articles:

More than 70 organisations have endorsed a report which calls for the Western Australian Government to raise the age of criminal responsibility. Across Australia, including in WA, children as young as ten years of age can be held criminally responsible, meaning that children this age can currently be prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to juvenile detention.

Cannabis law reform is taking time in Australia. In Western Australia, drug laws are tough though the Cannabis Intervention Requirement Scheme aims to protect first time or younger users of cannabis from prosecution.

Under these laws persons convicted of homicide offences who refuse to cooperate with police and law enforcement authorities to disclose the location of their victim's remains will not be eligible for parole.

Coercive control has been called ‘intimate terrorism’ and is said to occur when a person exhibits control over another person. Discussions about implementing coercive control laws have been sparked by recent events, but some concerns have been raised and lawmakers must proceed with caution.

The national campaign ‘March 4 Justice’ saw about 3000 people gathered in the CBD protesting violence against women, inspired by the sexual assault allegations surrounding the Federal Government. It is clear that change must occur.

Since the Attorney General (AG) Christian Porter admitted that he was the man at the centre of historical sexual assault allegations by a woman who has since committed suicide, there has been a lot of pressure on the Federal Government to conduct an independent inquiry.

In the past few weeks five women have come forward with serious allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment while working within the Liberal Party.

The Royal Commission’s final report makes more than 100 recommendations, primarily aimed at restoring faith in the criminal justice system.

The Family Violence Legislation Reform Act 2020 was passed into law by WA’s parliament in June 2020 – and some major changes will come into force on 1 October 2020.

Some clients who come to the Law Offices of Andrew Williams charged with drug-related offences are unaware of the very serious and fragile predicament that they face.

In this article we explain what the new phones laws in Western Australia means for anyone caught using their phone while driving and what the penalties are.

On 27 June 2020 Western Australia entered into Phase 4 of the Covid Roadmap. Phase 4 is expected to last around 3 weeks to 18 July 2020.

In March 2020 jury trials in criminal proceedings were suspended as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It has now been announced trials will recommence 20 July 2020.

Western Australia has entered ‘stage 3’ of the Covid-19 Roadmap. Find out which Covid-19 restrictions are changing from June 5, 2020.

Find out which Covid-19 restrictions are changing and which are remaining in Western Australia from May 18, 2020.

Covid-19 has changed a number of things about our daily lives. This includes how the criminal justice system is dealing with matters such as applications for bail.

Offenders who know that they have COVID-19, or make a statement or do any other act to create a belief, suspicion or fear that they have COVID-19 as part of their offending will face the increased penalties outlined in this article.

We explain how the police will have the power to enforce the new government directions and what exactly happens if you ignore them.

We are taking a number of measures to ensure that we remain open, willing, and able to assist anyone in need of legal advice.

A charge of indecent assault can cover a variety of different types of behaviours. In this article you find out what the prosecution have to prove for you to be found guilty of indecent assault.

There is no one set of rules as to how a character reference should be structured and what issues should be addressed but some general rules do apply. The following points provide a broad guide.

The ACT has become the first Australian jurisdiction to legalise personal use and cultivation of cannabis. The laws, recently passed in the ACT Legislative Assembly, will allow people in the ACT over the age of 18 years to possess 50 grams of cannabis and grow up to two plants.

The extent of WA’s drug crisis is most evident in our criminal justice system with a staggering increase in drug related offences in recent years. If someone you know is facing criminal charges involving prohibited drugs contact the Law Office of Andrew Williams for advice and representation.

Cyber crime has been operating on a significant scale and has become an increasingly important issue for the global community. If you are being investigated, it’s in your best interests to attain prompt legal advice from an experienced criminal lawyer.

This article provides an overview of information and documentation required by a criminal lawyer to assist in presenting a well-prepared bail application to the court in a timely manner.

Parliaments across Australia continue to introduce new mandatory sentencing laws. Find out what mandatory sentencing is, which offences now carry a mandatory sentence in Western Australia and some of the problems surrounding mandatory sentencing laws.

If you are charged with a criminal offence the most important issue that you will discuss with your lawyer is whether you will plead guilty or not guilty to the charge. Your lawyer can request the evidence from the police and ultimately make an assessment about the strength of the prosecution case against you.

Most criminal trials in the District Court or Supreme Court involve a jury. However, there are circumstances where it is possible to have a trial conducted before a judge alone. In these cases the judge decides whether the accused is guilty or not guilty.

People charged with assault occasionally plead guilty without first seeking professional advice from a criminal lawyer. But all too often people enter a guilty plea to their charge of assault without realising that they would have had a lawful defence to their charge. Unfortunately, once the plea of guilty is entered and the sentencing proceeds, the guilty plea…

Whether you decide to plead guilty or not guilty to criminal charges getting legal advice and representation from an experienced criminal lawyer can change the outcome of your case. Here are 8 very good reasons why you need an expert criminal lawyer.

Andrew Williams is a member of the panel of practitioners for Legal Aid WA and frequently provides criminal law advice and representation to applicants on a grant of legal aid.

If you are facing criminal charges you need to engage an experienced criminal lawyer. You will need also to place significant trust in the lawyer that you choose to properly defend your rights, protect your reputation, and ensure your voice is heard. The Andrew Williams Criminal Law Offices has extensive experience and a depth of knowledge of criminal law matters.…

Andrew Williams is a senior Perth criminal lawyer who has extensive experience in providing quality legal advice in criminal law matters and representing people at bail, sentencing and trial hearings in both the summary courts and the superior criminal law courts throughout WA. If you have been charged with a criminal offence then, irrespective of the outcome,…

Andrew Williams criminal lawyers strive to attain a good relationship with their clients in order to build communication, respect and a solid understanding of the client’s case. Andrew Williams runs an amalgamated practice and acts as both a Barrister and a Solicitor in Perth. However, the question is frequently asked by the client “what is the difference between…

Facing criminal charges can be a stressful and frightening experience. Your reputation, your livelihood, even your liberty may be at stake. The importance of engaging an experienced specialist criminal lawyer to represent you cannot be undermined. When your liberty is at risk the consequences of engaging the wrong lawyer to represent you will go well beyond disappointment,…

Drugs charges can include possession, sell, supply, trafficking, and cultivating prohibited drugs. The seriousness of the charge will depend on the type and quantity of the drug. The greater the weight of the prohibited drug the more serious the offence becomes.

If you are facing criminal charges the importance of engaging the right criminal lawyer to defend your case cannot be understated. Facing a criminal charge is a frightening experience and engaging an inexperienced or incompetent lawyer to represent you can only add stress to an already emotionally charged situation. The following paragraphs provide some guidance…

If you are charged with a criminal offence you might make the sensible decision to make an appointment to see an experienced criminal lawyer. Engaging the services of a criminal lawyer will help ensure that your rights and interests are being looked after in the best possible way while your charge/s proceeds through the court system.

A necessary component of a police investigation into an alleged offence, and the decision of whether to charge a suspect, often involves the police conducting a video record of interview with the suspect. It’s important to understand what your rights are before attending a police station for an interview. This article aims to provide an overview of your rights,…

Appearing in the district or supreme court for the first time in a criminal law matter can be quite nerve wrecking, even if it’s just as part of the Jury. We put together some answers to a few of the questions we often get asked about going to trial for a criminal matter and the Jury empanelment process.