legal Services
Please note we no longer undertake any matters that are funded by Legal Aid Queensland.
Traffic Law, including special hardship and work licence applications
We can assist with all types of traffic offences, including but not limited to:
- Drink driving
- Drug driving
- Unlicensed driving
- Disqualified driving
- Drive without due care and attention
- Dangerous driving
- Fail to stop motor vehicle / evasion offence
- Offences involving registration plates
- Unregistered and uninsured vehicle
- Drive while subject to interlock condition
The majority of these offences carry a maximum penalty of a term of imprisonment and many carry mandatory disqualification periods upon conviction. There are other consequences that can automatically flow from a conviction for these offences, including being required to have an interlock device fitted to your vehicle prior to your licence being reinstated. The police also have powers to seize your registration plates or impound your vehicle which can result in significant financial consequences for you.
In certain circumstances, you may also be eligible to apply for a special hardship licence or work licence. There are strict timeframes that apply in relation to when these applications are required to be filed so you need to obtain competent legal advice at an early stage to ensure you do not miss the opportunity to make these applications. You must satisfy the court that you are a fit and proper person to hold a restricted licence and would suffer severe financial hardship if the application is not granted. The affidavit material that is relied upon becomes crucial to ensure your application is successful and we are in experts in preparing that material and appearing in court to persuade a Magistrate you have satisfied the required criteria.
It is crucial you obtain proper legal advice before your court appearance and secure legal representation. We are experienced traffic lawyers and are able to assist with any traffic matter.
Domestic Violence Matters
Whether you have been served a Police Protection Notice or an application for a domestic violence order by a police officer, an ex-partner or relative, you need to obtain legal advice at an early stage and before any court appearance to ensure you understand the consequences that may flow. In most situations, the court will decide whether to grant a temporary domestic violence order at the first court appearance, which is usually within days of the paperwork being served on you. There are many professions that will act upon the issuing of a temporary domestic violence order to suspend or terminate your employment, including the Australia Defence Force. The issuing a domestic violence order, whether on a temporary or final basis will also impact upon your ability to obtain an explosives licence, and may impact upon your suitability to hold a blue card for working with children.
We have experience in representing the aggrieved and respondence in applications for domestic violence orders and have a thorough understanding of the relevant legislation and the procedure of our specialist Domestic Violence Court in Townsville.
If you have been charged with an offence of Contravention of domestic violence order, it is important you ensure you have appropriate legal representation as it is a criminal offence that carries a maximum penalty of 3 years imprisonment, or 5 years imprisonment if you have previous convictions. We have extensive experience in representing clients charged with breaching their domestic order and we are familiar with the latest amendments to legislations and the most recent applicable case law so you can provide competent advice and expert representation in court.
Criminal Law
We have experience representing clients charged with all types of Queensland and Federal criminal offences, including regulatory offences.
If you are being investigated by police or any other government agency or have been charged with any type of offence, we are confident we are able to assist by providing expert advice and representation throughout the proceedings so you can be confident your rights are being protected and you have a strong advocate on your side.
Zoe Navarro is the only lawyer in the Townsville region to be recognised as an Accredited Specialist (Criminal Law) – Qld.
Our criminal law services include:
- Assault, Public Nuisance, Offences against police officers or security officers and Offences committed while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance
- Offences involving dangerous drugs and weapons offences
- Fraud, Stealing, Burglary, Robbery, Unlawful use of motor vehicle, Receiving or possessing tainted property and other dishonesty offences
- Youth Justice Matters
Assault, Public Nuisance, Offences against police officers or security officers and Offences committed while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance
If you have been charged with an offence allegedly committed in the Townsville Drink Safe Precinct, or at any other Licensed Premises, there may be mandatory penalties that apply and severe consequences can follow, including being sentenced to a period of imprisonment. In certain circumstances, the court must order you to perform unpaid community service. If the court records a conviction for these offences, it may impact upon your ability to obtain a working visa overseas, a weapons licence, explosives license and your suitability to hold a blue card for working with children.
We can assist you with exploring options to avoid a criminal conviction, such as a referral for justice mediation. There are also various defences that may apply for assault offences so you need to ensure you obtain legal advice as soon as police make contact and ideally, before agreeing to participate in a Record of Interview with them.
We can provide advise about any potential defences that may apply and how best to proceed with the matter, as well as advise on potential penalties that will apply on conviction based on our extensive experience in this area and our knowledge of applicable legislation and case law.
Examples of offences that would fall into this category include:
- Common assault
- Assault occasioning bodily harm / while armed / in company
- Grievous bodily harm
- Public nuisance
- Refusal to leave licensed premises
- Contravention of police banning notice
- Drunk or disorderly
- Threatening violence
- Going armed so as to cause fear
- Assault / Obstruct police officer
- Serious assault police officer
- Unregulated high risk activity
- Contravene direction or requirement
Offences involving dangerous drugs and weapons offences
Whether you have been charged with possessing a small amount of cannabis, or with trafficking dangerous drugs, the potential consequences on conviction can be severed and impact many aspects of your life, including your ability to obtain various licenses and hold a blue card. Police officers have an ever expanding power to search people, vehicles and houses, so it is important you obtain legal advice from us about the legality of any such search prior to attending court.
There are mandatory sentences involving minimum periods of imprisonment that apply to some weapons offences in certain circumstances so it is crucial you obtain legal advice about the potential penalties that apply and secure representation prior to the court appearance.
There are other consequences that may flow from a conviction for certain drug offences, including confiscation proceedings being commenced against you by the State. You need to be aware of all of these potential consequences if you have been charged with an offence.
Examples of offences that would fall into this category include:
- Possess dangerous drug
- Possess restricted drug
- Possess utensils or property suspected of being used in the commission of an offence (i.e. – bong, pipe, clip seal bags, scales, scissors, chop bowl, straw)
- Failure to dispose of needle / syringe
- Possess proceeds of an offence (cash that is alleged to be from the sale of drugs)
- Supply dangerous drugs
- Producing dangerous drugs
- Trafficking dangerous drugs
- Permitting use of place
- Possess weapons
- Possess restricted items
- Possess knife in a public place
- Contravene order to provide access code / pin code to devide
Many of these offences cannot be finalised in the Magistrates Court and must proceed on indictment to either the District or Supreme Court. We are experienced in the complicated area of law and can provide competent advice about the court procedure and jurisdiction for your matter, which is important to understand as each jurisdiction has different powers in terms of penalties that can be imposed.
Fraud, Stealing, Burglary, Robbery, Unlawful use of motor vehicle, Receiving or possessing tainted property and other dishonesty offences
We are experienced in representing clients charged with all types of offences that would fall into this category, for example:
- Fraud
- Centrelink fraud
- Stealing
- Burglary / Enter premises / Enter dwelling
- Unlawful use of motor vehicle
- Receiving or possessing tainted property
- Perjury
- Attempting to pervert justice
- Robbery
- Extortion
- Arson
- Wilful damage
If you have been charged with any offence by police you need to obtain legal advice prior to court. We have experience in all types of matters and can provide competent advice and representation for any offence you have been charged with.
A conviction for these types of offences will impact upon your ability to obtain employment in a variety of industries so you need to ensure your rights are protected from the outset and you secure expert legal representation.
Youth Justice Matters
This is an ever-evolving area of law and you need to ensure you are obtaining legal advice and representation from a firm such as Navarro Lawyers, who ensure they are always up to date with legislative and case law updates.
The process that applies to a juvenile being investigated for an offence is different due to the powers available to police and the options they have available to them that must be considered before they commence proceedings for an offence. If matters are handled competently from the very beginning, you can avoid your child being formally charged with an offence and having to appear in court. You need to contact us as soon as you are aware your child is being investigated by police so we can provide advice and representation throughout your dealings with police.
Zoe is one of the most experienced practitioners in the Townsville area in the Children’s Court jurisdiction and has had a lot of success in securing results for young people that diverts them from the criminal justice system at an early stage.