Supreme Court Lawyer Cairns — Fixed Fee
$18,000 — Fixed Fee
Supreme Court plea — Cairns Supreme Court — $18,000 Covers : complete brief review, multiple conferences, negotiations with the Director of Public Prosecutions, preparation of sentencing submissions and supporting material, coordination of expert reports, and full appearance at arraignment and sentence. No hidden fees. One invoice. All fees +10% GST.
What Is Included
Complete review of the committal brief and all prosecution material Multiple conferences to prepare for the plea, understand the facts, and identify all mitigating material Negotiations with the Director of Public Prosecutions on charges, the indictment, and the agreed facts Instruction of counsel where appropriate — barrister's fees are quoted and agreed with you in advance Preparation of written sentencing submissions and all supporting material Coordination of expert reports — psychological, psychiatric, medical, or other expert evidence as required Full appearance at arraignment and at the sentencing hearing Post-sentence advice on the outcome, parole eligibility, and appeal options The $18,000 fee reflects a straightforward single-count plea. Complex multi-count matters, matters involving contested facts at sentence (a Newton hearing), or matters requiring extensive expert evidence are quoted once the scope is settled after a full brief review. Supreme Court trials — where you plead not guilty — are quoted on a case-specific basis. What the Supreme Court Handles The Supreme Court of Queensland has exclusive jurisdiction over the most serious criminal offences. These are matters that cannot be dealt with in the District Court regardless of circumstances. Offences dealt with exclusively in the Supreme Court include: Murder — maximum penalty life imprisonment Manslaughter — maximum penalty life imprisonment Serious drug trafficking — trafficking in a commercial quantity of a dangerous drug, maximum life imprisonment under the Drugs Misuse Act 1986 (Qld) Attempted murder Certain serious Commonwealth offences Serious organised crime and conspiracy matters The Cairns Supreme Court sits on a regular circuit. Matters from Cairns and Far North Queensland are listed before Supreme Court judges sitting in Cairns. How a Supreme Court Plea Works The process in the Supreme Court follows the same general framework as the District Court but at a higher level of complexity and with higher stakes at every stage. Committal. The matter is committed from the Magistrates Court following a committal proceeding. Once committed, it is indicted in the Supreme Court and listed for arraignment. Arraignment. You are brought before a Supreme Court judge and formally asked how you plead to the indictment. For a guilty plea, the matter is listed for a sentencing hearing. Negotiations with the DPP. Before the sentencing hearing, Sacha engages with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the charges, the indictment, and the agreed statement of facts. Negotiating the factual basis of the plea — the document the sentencing judge reads — is one of the most important steps in a Supreme Court matter. The characterisation of the offending in the agreed facts shapes the entire sentencing exercise. Sentencing hearing. The prosecution opens the facts, tenders victim impact statements and any other material, and makes submissions on sentence. The defence tenders character references, expert reports, and other supporting material, and makes detailed written and oral submissions addressing all relevant mitigating factors. The judge then imposes sentence. Counsel and Expert Evidence On Supreme Court matters, the decision whether to brief external counsel is made case by case. Sacha Sarah Smith has experience with matters at this level and is well placed to assess what each matter requires. Where briefing a barrister is the right tactical choice, counsel selection is discussed with you. Barrister's fees are quoted and agreed before any brief is delivered. Expert reports — psychological assessments, psychiatric reports, neuropsychological evidence, or other expert material — are frequently central to Supreme Court sentencing. Where a report would assist the court's understanding of your background or the circumstances of the offending, Sacha will identify that early and arrange it with enough time for proper preparation and review before the hearing. What Sacha Focuses On At the Supreme Court level, the quality of the sentencing material determines the outcome. Sacha will review the full brief before any advice is given on plea, identify every available mitigating factor, and prepare submissions that are specific to your circumstances and the applicable sentencing principles. Supreme Court judges expect comprehensive written submissions — not a summary. Where the DPP's characterisation of the facts is broader than the evidence supports, Sacha will identify that and negotiate. Where the charge can be amended or reduced, that is pursued before arraignment. Every avenue that might affect the sentencing range is explored before the hearing date.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will a barrister be involved? Not necessarily. Sacha Sarah Smith has extensive experience as counsel on serious indictable matters and is well placed to run Supreme Court pleas. On some matters — particularly complex multi-count matters or where a particular barrister has specific expertise — briefing external counsel is the right call. That decision is made with you, and barrister's fees are quoted and agreed before any brief is delivered. Can a Supreme Court matter be resolved by plea without a trial? Yes. Many Supreme Court matters — including serious drug matters and some manslaughter charges — resolve by guilty plea. A well-negotiated plea, with strong sentencing material, can significantly affect the outcome even at the Supreme Court level. What is the sentencing range for murder? Murder in Queensland carries a mandatory life sentence. The court has no discretion to impose a lesser penalty. The relevant question at sentence is the non-parole period — the minimum time you must serve before becoming eligible for parole consideration. Sacha will make submissions on the appropriate non-parole period. How long does a Supreme Court matter take? From charge to sentence, Supreme Court matters typically run 12 to 24 months, sometimes longer where the matter is complex or involves multiple accused. Sacha will give you a realistic timeline at the first conference. Will there be media coverage? Supreme Court proceedings are generally open to the public and media. In matters involving sexual offences or child complainants, suppression orders can be sought. Sacha will advise on what is and is not likely to become public in your specific matter.