A letter of representation is often a letter to your AGC that sets out explanations why they should either not cost you, drop rates from you or look for a selected sentence through the court.
In principle, it is possible to send as quite a few letters of representation as you want, but generally a lawyer would send out in between one–three, according to the strategic considerations which could apply in your circumstance. This type of letter may be despatched at any stage of proceedings with the investigation stage to the sentencing phase.
A letter of representation is different from the mitigation plea. A letter of representation is dealt with for the AGC and seeks their settlement concerning some element of your case.
Conversely, a mitigation plea is actually a legal submission addressed to and submitted that has a sentencing court with the objective of giving the court Along with the authorized and factual bases with the sentence you might be trying to get, in situations in which you have presently been uncovered guilty.
What Goes in the Letter of Illustration?
Topic reference
A letter of illustration, if penned by a lawyer, normally opens which has a reference to the person staying represented in the letter.
If fees have already been brought from that person, the letter could possibly be captioned by reference to the situation quantity.
Final result staying sought
The letter of representation will then typically open up with a quick statement that describes what result to the situation the letter will look for.
The attainable results that may be sought contain the fees remaining dropped, stern or conditional warnings being administered or certain sentences currently being proposed to the court while in the celebration of a guilty plea. These letters are sometimes also marked “with no prejudiceâ€.
Explanations for the outcome getting sought
The letter need to then established out the facts related to the case that assist the end result staying sought. Depending on the strategic concerns in your case, the letter might consult with:
Any proof that supports the info on which you count to aid the result being sought. Copies of this kind of evidence could even be connected for the letter, but the decision on irrespective of whether to attach any evidence towards the letter is eventually a strategic one particular being taken by an attorney, having into account many of the instances within your circumstance; or
The existence of witnesses who'll corroborate those points. These witnesses may perhaps even be discovered in your letter.
Preferably, the letter of illustration really should make reference to very similar previous situations which experienced resulted in outcomes much like Individuals you're looking for, and clarify how These cases are analogous (i.e. factually similar) to your circumstance.
Your possible future techniques
The letter of illustration should then briefly set out your likely future measures, according to regardless of whether AGC accedes for your ask for. These techniques may be to say trial, plead responsible or make some pertinent submission to court for example.
Features (if ideal)
The letter can, if proper, also consist of offers, with or without the need of an admission of guilt, to try and do other points for example create an apology and/or pay restitution to your target, or to commit to voluntary Group programmes for example counselling or charitable perform.
Reservation of one's legal rights
The letter, if drafted by a lawyer, should conclude having an acknowledgement that your lawyer has recommended you within the legal outcomes of currently being untruthful within the letter and an entire reservation of the rights.
You may additionally want to incorporate an affordable deadline within which you be expecting to receive a reaction, Even though there is not any ensure the AGC will have any regard to this.
The way to Send the Letter of Illustration and to Whom
These letters are generally sent in PDF structure via a generic on line kind maintained because of the AGC for this goal.
In case your circumstance is at an advanced phase of proceedings nonetheless, your law firm might also mail it to a particular prosecutor(s) (or send out it to only this kind of distinct prosecutor(s)).
What are the Attainable Results Upon Sending a Letter of Illustration?
When the AGC decides to accede on your request, They might generate back to tell you of this and checklist any disorders for their arrangement.
Sometimes, They might mail a counter-provide whereby they provide to endorse a particular sentence to your court, or drop a number of Singapore Criminal Defence Lawyer prices, if you comply with plead responsible to some or all of the charges, and/or agree to Several other ask for including spending restitution towards the target.
Should the AGC is unable to accede to the ask for, you could get a pretty brief template reaction with the AGC stating that, having very carefully regarded your representations, They are really unable to accede in your ask for.
From time to time, no reaction is sent, as well as the prosecutor will basically point out verbally into the court that AGC obtained representations and that they won't accede to your ask for(s) therein.
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It ought to be distinct from the above the drafting of the letter of illustration is not really a straightforward matter of sending a short letter asking for leniency or declaring you will be sorry.
There are plenty of requests to think about and many various permutations of all People requests, several of which might or might not be readily available or correct to you personally depending on the facts of one's situation as well as your personal profile.
Merely a legal lawyer is in a position to meaningfully advise you on how to very best advance your interests inside a legal investigation or prosecution.
Therefore, In case you are getting investigated for a crime in Singapore, you ought to often look for legal guidance from a prison law firm within the earliest doable prospect.