A letter of illustration is really a letter to the AGC that sets out main reasons why they ought to either not demand you, drop charges from you or seek out a particular sentence from your court.
In principle, you'll be able to send as a lot of letters of representation as you want, but usually an attorney would send involving 1–three, dependant upon the strategic concerns which will use to your scenario. Such a letter is often sent at any phase of proceedings in the investigation phase for the sentencing phase.
A letter of representation differs from a mitigation plea. A letter of illustration is tackled into the AGC and seeks their arrangement about some facet of your circumstance.
Alternatively, a mitigation plea is a authorized submission addressed to and filed which has a sentencing court docket with the objective of giving the court Along with the legal and factual bases for that sentence you are trying to find, in conditions where you have by now been discovered responsible.
What Goes in a Letter of Illustration?
Subject reference
A letter of representation, if penned by a lawyer, commonly opens having a reference to the individual being represented while in the letter.
If charges have presently been introduced towards that man or woman, the letter might be captioned by reference to the situation number.
Final result remaining sought
The letter of representation will then normally open up with a short assertion that explains what final result to the situation the letter will look for.
The attainable results That could be sought include things like the charges getting dropped, stern or conditional warnings getting administered or precise sentences being advisable on the courtroom in the function of the guilty plea. These letters are sometimes also marked “devoid of prejudiceâ€.
Reasons for the end result staying sought
The letter should then set out the info relevant to the case that assist the result becoming sought. Dependant upon the strategic considerations within your scenario, the letter may perhaps make reference to:
Any evidence that supports the info upon which you rely to assist the result being sought. Copies of this sort of proof may perhaps even be attached for the letter, but the choice on irrespective of whether to attach any evidence to your letter is ultimately a strategic a single to get taken by an attorney, having into consideration each of the situation of the situation; or
The existence of witnesses who'll corroborate Those people facts. These witnesses could even be determined as part of your letter.
Preferably, the letter of representation ought to make reference to related previous conditions which experienced resulted in outcomes much like Individuals you will be trying to get, and explain how These circumstances are analogous (i.e. factually related) on your circumstance.
Your likely subsequent measures
The letter of representation need to then briefly established out your possible future steps, based on regardless of whether AGC accedes to the ask for. These techniques can be to assert trial, plead guilty or make some related submission to court as an example.
Gives (if acceptable)
The letter can, if acceptable, also include things like features, with or without the need of an admission of guilt, to do other things such as create an apology and/or spend restitution to some target, or to commit to voluntary Neighborhood programmes which include counselling or charitable get the job done.
Reservation within your legal rights
The letter, if drafted by an attorney, should really conclude having an acknowledgement that the law firm has encouraged you over the lawful penalties of remaining untruthful in the letter and an entire reservation within your legal rights.
You may additionally would Criminal lawyer singapore like to incorporate an inexpensive deadline within just which you be expecting to get a reaction, Despite the fact that there is absolutely no promise the AGC could have any regard to this.
The way to Ship the Letter of Representation and also to Whom
These letters are typically sent in PDF format via a generic online variety managed via the AGC for this reason.
If the scenario is at a sophisticated stage of proceedings nonetheless, your lawyer might also send it to a selected prosecutor(s) (or mail it to only these precise prosecutor(s)).
What exactly are the Achievable Outcomes Upon Sending a Letter of Illustration?
Should the AGC decides to accede on your ask for, They might create back to inform you of this and record any ailments for his or her arrangement.
At times, they may ship a counter-offer whereby they offer to endorse a certain sentence on the courtroom, or drop a number of prices, in case you comply with plead guilty to some or all of the fees, and/or conform to Several other request like paying restitution into the target.
In the event the AGC is unable to accede to your ask for, you could possibly receive a very shorter template reaction from your AGC stating that, getting carefully thought of your representations, They can be not able to accede to your ask for.
Often, no response is sent, plus the prosecutor will basically mention verbally into the court docket that AGC acquired representations and that they won't accede for the request(s) therein.
—
It ought to be obvious from the above which the drafting of the letter of representation is not a straightforward issue of sending a short letter requesting leniency or declaring you are sorry.
There are plenty of requests to take into consideration and many various permutations of all those requests, several of which may or may not be available or ideal for you depending on the info of the case and also your very own profile.
Just a felony lawyer is ready to meaningfully suggest you regarding how to ideal advance your pursuits within a criminal investigation or prosecution.
For this reason, In case you are being investigated for against the law in Singapore, you need to normally find authorized tips from the legal law firm with the earliest feasible option.