We can help you take back control — wherever you are in England or Wales.
Imagine opening a letter and discovering you’ve been convicted of an offence you knew nothing about. A motoring charge. A criminal matter. Perhaps a fine, points on your licence, even a driving ban — all decided in a courtroom you never set foot in, at a hearing you were never informed of.
It’s more common than you might think. Court papers go astray. They arrive at old addresses. They get lost in the post or buried in junk mail. Sometimes they’re never sent at all. And the first you hear of it is when the consequences land on your doorstep.
The good news? You don’t have to accept it.
You have a right to be heard
If you’ve been convicted without knowing the case was happening, the law gives you a way to put things right. It’s called a Statutory Declaration, and it’s a formal sworn statement telling the court that you were unaware of the proceedings.
Once that declaration is served on the court alongside the proper paperwork, your conviction can be set aside and your case reopened. You then get the chance you should have had from the start — to be properly represented, to put forward your defence, or to plead guilty on your own terms with full mitigation in place.
How we’ll guide you through it
At Forrest Williams Legal, we’ve helped countless clients across England and Wales reopen cases and start again on the front foot. Here’s how the process works when you instruct us:
Step one — your Statutory Declaration. We arrange for you to swear the declaration properly, ensuring every detail is correct. Get this wrong and the court can refuse it, so accuracy matters.
Step two — serving the court. We prepare the formal documentation that accompanies your declaration and we serve it on the court, formally requesting that your case be reopened.
Step three — building your case from scratch. Whether you intend to plead guilty with strong mitigation or fight the charge entirely, we prepare your defence from the ground up. You get the proper hearing you were denied the first time around.
Why act today, not tomorrow
Here’s something many people don’t realise: you have a legal duty to begin this process as soon as you become aware of the conviction. Delay can be held against you. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to convince the court that you acted in good faith — and the more time the original conviction has to affect your life, your licence, your livelihood, and your record.
If you’ve just found out, the clock is already ticking. The single most important thing you can do is pick up the phone today.
Why choose Forrest Williams Legal
We are specialists. Reopening cases and defending motoring and criminal matters is what we do, day in and day out. We know exactly what the courts expect, how to draft a declaration that will be accepted, and how to build a case that gives you the best possible outcome.
We work nationwide across England and Wales. Wherever your case is being heard, we can represent you.
We are a private firm and do not offer Legal Aid. What we do offer is straightforward, expert advice, transparent costs, and a team that genuinely cares about getting you the right result.
Don’t wait. Get in touch now.
If you’ve been convicted of a motoring or criminal offence without knowing about the proceedings, every day you delay weakens your position. Call us today and let’s start putting it right.
