What a criminal charge in NSW actually means
Most NSW criminal offences sit in the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) and the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW); Commonwealth offences — drug importation, Centrelink and tax fraud, many online offences — are prosecuted under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
NSW divides criminal offences into summary offences, finalised in the Local Court before a magistrate, and indictable offences, which can proceed to the District or Supreme Court before a judge and jury — though many indictable charges can, and tactically should, be kept in the Local Court where maximum penalties are capped. Which court your matter is heard in is often the single biggest factor in the outcome, and it is frequently a decision your lawyer can influence.
A charge begins with a Court Attendance Notice or an arrest. From there the path runs through bail, the brief of evidence, negotiation with the prosecution, and either a plea or a defended hearing or trial. At every one of those stages there are decisions that cannot be unmade — the police interview most of all. If you take one thing from this page: get advice before you say anything to police.
Find your charge
Every offence page on this site follows the same discipline: what the offence is, what the prosecution must prove, the realistic range of penalties, the defences, and how we approach it. Start with the category that fits your situation.
Drug Offences
Possession, supply, manufacture, cultivation, drug premises and Commonwealth importation — from a first-offence cannabis charge to commercial-quantity supply.
Fraud & Dishonesty
Fraud, larceny, embezzlement, white-collar and corporate matters, tax and Centrelink fraud — offences where the paper trail is the battleground.
Sexual Offences
Sexual assault, sexual touching, intimate-image and related charges — the most consequential allegations in criminal law, defended with discretion and rigour.
Bail, Police Powers & Interviews
Bail applications, police interviews, search powers, resist and hinder charges — the matters that decide everything in the first 48 hours.
Weapons & Firearms
Firearms and prohibited weapons charges, licensing breaches and possession offences under NSW's strict liability regime.
Assault and violence charges, domestic and family violence matters, traffic offences, AVOs and appeals each have their own sections — see Assaults & Violent Offences, Domestic & Family Violence, Traffic Offences, AVOs and Court Appeals.
How to choose a criminal lawyer — and when you need an Accredited Specialist
Most people choose a criminal lawyer once in their life, under pressure, with no way to judge quality. Three filters do most of the work:
- Specialisation. Criminal law is a distinct craft. A lawyer who handles conveyancing on Monday and a defended hearing on Tuesday is not the same proposition as one who appears in the criminal courts every week. Ask what proportion of the practice is criminal defence — for Lenz Legal the answer is all of it.
- Accreditation. The Law Society of NSW confers Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law status only on solicitors who pass rigorous peer-assessed examination and demonstrate years of substantial criminal practice. A small fraction of the profession holds it. It is the one independent, externally assessed quality marker available to you — if your matter is serious, it is a reasonable minimum to insist on.
- Who actually runs your matter. Ask who will appear at your court dates. At some firms the answer changes after you sign. At Lenz Legal you deal with Dean Lenz.
When does the accreditation genuinely matter? For a straightforward first-offence traffic plea, a competent traffic lawyer will serve you well. For anything carrying realistic jail exposure, a strictly indictable charge, or a defended hearing where the evidence will be contested, specialist-level experience is not a luxury — it is the difference between knowing the law and knowing how the prosecution will run.
What it costs
Fees turn on the charge, the court and how far the matter runs — a Local Court plea, a defended hearing and a District Court trial are very different pieces of work, and the volume of evidence, the number of court dates, witnesses and expert reports all move the figure. Lenz Legal gives you a fixed or clearly estimated fee in writing after the first conference — before you commit to anything.
How Lenz Legal approaches every matter
The method does not change with the charge: get the brief early, test every element the prosecution must prove, identify the realistic best outcome — withdrawal, negotiation to a lesser charge, acquittal at hearing, or a sentence outcome that protects your record and livelihood — and work backwards from it. Every matter turns on its own facts, and the honest assessment of those facts at the first conference is where good defence begins.
Choosing a criminal lawyer — your questions answered
Do I need a criminal lawyer for a first offence?
Usually, yes — and a first offence is often where representation matters most, because the outcome decides whether you carry a criminal record at all. Non-conviction orders under section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) are realistically available for many first offenders, but they are not automatic: they turn on how the matter is prepared and presented to the magistrate. Every matter turns on its own facts.
What does "Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law" mean?
It is a formal accreditation conferred by the Law Society of NSW after rigorous peer-assessed examination in criminal law plus demonstrated years of substantial practice in the field. Only a small fraction of NSW solicitors hold it. It is the closest thing the profession has to an independent quality filter when you are choosing a lawyer under pressure.
What should I bring to a first conference?
Everything the police or court have given you: the Court Attendance Notice, the Facts Sheet, bail papers, any AVO documents, and any correspondence. If you have them, bring witness names, relevant messages or photographs, and a short written timeline while your memory is fresh. If you have none of it, come anyway — the early advice matters more than the paperwork.
How much does a criminal lawyer cost?
It depends on the charge, the court and how far the matter runs — a Local Court plea, a defended hearing and a District Court trial are very different pieces of work. Costs turn on the evidence, the court dates and the complexity. Lenz Legal provides a fixed or clearly estimated fee in writing after a first conference, so you know the cost before you commit.