Category: My Blog

How a Criminal Defence Lawyer Could be the Difference

Committing a crime is serious. If you’re thinking that the only ramification of such activity is imprisonment, then you are wrong. In fact, being charged with a crime can tarnish how you are perceived by your friends and community, your income and earning capacity should you be sentenced to prison, along with your ability to gain future employment. Indeed, if you are charged with a crime, you should definitely consider the services of a criminal defence lawyer in developing your case for your court appearance. This is because hiring a solicitor possesses many advantages for the defendant, which will be outlined in the following.

 

Court professionalism

In essence, a criminal defence lawyer knows what’s going on in a court room. They understand all the legal rhetoric, the relevant procedures and all the paperwork that needs to be filled out in preparation for your court date. At this time, you’re probably really scared about your future. You don’t know what is going to happen, which is likely stressing you out even more. Having a professional criminal defence lawyer by your side can help minimise that anxiety as you face trial, guaranteeing that you never feel out of place in the courtroom and are confident in how your case will fare in the jury’s mind.

 

More likely to get bail

With a criminal defence lawyer, you are more likely to be granted bail and not have to await trial behind bars. Indeed, this can help alleviate any stress you may have leading up to your court appearance, while allowing you to spend cherished time with friends and family before your trial begins. More importantly, it often allows you and your criminal defence lawyer to begin building your case in an environment that is more suitable and comfortable for you.

 

Less waiting

Sometimes, people charged with a serious crime can be left waiting for months and months for their trial. Enlisting the services of a solicitor will go a long way in saving you time. This is because barristers can often leverage the judge presiding over the case to move the trial date forward or backwards (depending on your choice) so as to better suit your needs. Indeed, you may want to bring you trial date forward so you don’t have to agonise over waiting on an outcome. With a criminal defence lawyer in your corner, your odds of winning your case and moving on quickly are dramatically increased.

 

Practical legal knowledge

Clearly, acquiring the services of a criminal defence lawyer means you have access to someone with an in-depth knowledge of the law and its applications. If the law changes, they will know. By having someone who is well-informed regarding the current legal framework, you will be well aware of any legal course of action and the desired effects of that action. Quite simply, if you want to reduce your sentence or avoid punishment, you’re better off hiring a solicitor as opposed to representing yourself in court. Be smart by getting a barrister, which will put you in a stronger position when contesting your charges.

 

Flexible repayments

Hiring a legal practitioner can be expensive. Having said this, many solicitors will offer flexible methods of repayment to assist your financial needs and situation. Sometimes, if you are from a low-income background, your criminal defence lawyer may offer their services on a pro bono basis, meaning they will offer their services without charge. It should be noted that this situation is rare and heavily dependent on the nature of your trial and case, particularly in terms of publicity and news exposure.

Everything You Need to Know About No Doc Commercial Loans

It can be incredibly difficult to get finance through a bank or reputable lender, especially if you are self employed or have a variable income. This can be very frustrating when you know you are able to make the repayments. Oftentimes, as a business owner, you want to grow or generate other forms of income through buildings. But without finance, this can be a challenge. However, there are options for you, in the form of no doc commercial loans. If you haven’t heard of these before, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about them.

 

How do no doc commercial loans work?

As you probably already know, this form of finance differs from other types due to the fact that you do not need to provide much documentation to support your application. Essentially, you will not need to give proof of income in the form of tax returns, business bank statements or letters from an accountant to apply and get approved. But how does borrowing money this way actually work? Borrowing money this way is normally described as an asset lend due to the fact the lender is relying on the established value of the security rather than the financial security of your situation. So, in order to obtain this type of finance you will often just have to pen your name to a declaration confirming that you understand the clauses, you are knowledgeable of the repayments and that you can afford the repayments. It is unlikely that you will have to state your income, however, if you do, you may be entitled to a better interest rate.

cash on hand

 

Does my credit rating matter?

This depends on who you are borrowing the money from as some lenders will opt to look into your credit history, whereas others will not. As no doc commercial loans are an asset lend, having a good credit rating is less important than it would be with the usual finance options. If you do have a good credit rating, you are likely to get approved for finance through a mainstream lender; these lenders offer better interest rates, so this may be a better option for you.

 

What types of property can I buy?

Commercial no doc loans are designed to enable people to purchase profitable buildings. Therefore, you will be able to use the money you have borrowed to buy commercial properties for purpose of investment, investment in shares and for business purposes which also includes working capital. If you are unsure if the building you wish to purchase falls under one of these categories, it is advised that you speak to a specialist. There are, however, buildings that you are not able to buy using these funds, such as residential investment properties.

 

How much can I borrow?

If the building you wish to buy is eligible under no doc commercial loans, you are probably wondering how much you will be able to borrow. So, for this type of finance, in which you do not need to provide any proof of income, you will be allowed to borrow up to 65% of the property value. However, just because this is the amount you are allowed to borrow, this does not necessarily mean it is the amount you will be offered. As this is considered high risk to the lender, they may offer you less, but this will depend on your assets and situation. As a general rule, the more your current assets are worth, the closer to 65% of the value you will be able to borrow. In some cases, if your asset value is lower, but you can provide proof of income, you will still be offered a large amount.

 

What are the interest rates?

In general, no doc commercial loans have higher interest rates than a standard finance option. This is simply because it is a higher risk to the lender. Often, the interest rate will be around 3%-4% higher than you would get through a mainstream lender. However, this does vary depending on how much you are borrowing, your credit history and the risk of the application.