A letter of illustration is often a letter to your AGC that sets out explanation why they need to possibly not cost you, drop fees towards you or request a certain sentence in the court docket.
In concept, you are able to send out as several letters of illustration as you like, but usually an attorney would deliver between one–3, depending upon the strategic issues that could implement for your circumstance. This type of letter is usually despatched at any stage of proceedings with the investigation stage to your sentencing stage.
A letter of illustration is different from a mitigation plea. A letter of illustration is tackled into the AGC and seeks their arrangement regarding some facet of your case.
Then again, a mitigation plea is really a lawful submission addressed to and submitted having a sentencing courtroom with the objective of delivering the court Together with the legal and factual bases to the sentence you are searching for, in circumstances in which you have presently been uncovered guilty.
What Goes in a very Letter of Representation?
Subject matter reference
A letter of representation, if prepared by an attorney, normally opens which has a reference to the person staying represented within the letter.
If prices have currently been introduced against that particular person, the letter can be captioned by reference to the situation quantity.
Result being sought
The letter of illustration will then ordinarily open with a short assertion that describes what result to the case the letter will find.
The probable outcomes Which may be sought include the costs staying dropped, stern or conditional warnings becoming administered or distinct sentences remaining suggested to your court inside the celebration of a guilty plea. These letters are occasionally also marked “without prejudiceâ€.
Causes for the result being sought
The letter must then established out the points related to the situation that aid the outcome currently being sought. Depending upon the strategic concerns with your circumstance, the letter might confer with:
Any proof that supports the details upon which you count to assistance the end result staying sought. Copies of such evidence could even be hooked up to the letter, but the decision on no matter whether to connect any evidence towards the letter is eventually a strategic just one to be taken by a lawyer, using into account many of the circumstances of one's situation; or
The existence of witnesses who'll corroborate Those people facts. These witnesses might even be determined as part of your letter.
Preferably, the letter of representation ought to make reference to equivalent previous scenarios which experienced resulted in outcomes similar to Individuals you happen to be trying to find, and demonstrate how those circumstances are analogous (i.e. factually related) to the circumstance.
Your possible next actions
The letter of representation really should then briefly established out your likely subsequent actions, dependant upon no matter whether AGC accedes for your request. These measures may be to say demo, plead responsible or make some suitable submission to court docket for example.
Offers (if suitable)
The letter can, if suitable, also contain gives, with or with no an admission of guilt, to perform other items for example produce an apology and/or fork out restitution to the sufferer, or to decide to voluntary Group programmes which include counselling or charitable do the job.
Reservation within your legal rights
The letter, if drafted by an attorney, should really conclude with 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 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 to Whom
These letters are typically sent in PDF structure by using a generic on the net sort taken care of from the AGC for this goal.
In case your case is at a complicated stage of proceedings nevertheless, your law firm may ship it to a specific prosecutor(s) (or mail it to only these kinds of certain prosecutor(s)).
What are the Doable Outcomes On Sending a Letter of Representation?
When the AGC decides to accede towards your ask for, They might create again to inform you of the and listing any circumstances for his or her arrangement.
Occasionally, They could deliver a counter-give whereby they provide to advocate a specific sentence to your court docket, or drop one or more fees, in the event you conform to plead guilty to some or all of the fees, and/or agree to Several other request for instance paying out restitution into the target.
Should the AGC is not able to accede towards your request, it's possible you'll receive a pretty quick template reaction in the AGC stating that, acquiring cautiously viewed as your representations, They're not able to accede to your request.
In some cases, no response is distributed, and the prosecutor will just point out verbally to the courtroom that AGC been given representations and that they will not accede to your request(s) therein.
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It should be crystal clear from the above the drafting of the letter of illustration is not a simple matter of sending a short letter requesting leniency or saying you are sorry.
There are numerous requests to take into account and numerous permutations of all All those requests, several of which might or might not be readily available or ideal to you personally dependant upon the points within your circumstance plus your have profile.
Just a criminal law firm is ready to meaningfully recommend Singapore criminal lawyer you regarding how to ideal progress your passions within a legal investigation or prosecution.
Consequently, In case you are getting investigated for a crime in Singapore, you ought to usually look for legal advice from the prison law firm with the earliest attainable possibility.