Practice areas

Drug trafficking, cultivation, manufacturing and possession offences can attract significant penalties including immediate jail terms. If you have been arrested in relation to drug offences, it is important that you obtain sound advice as soon as possible, prior to participating in a police interview.
Our lawyers have extensive experience in drug cases, including complex matters (surveillance and covert operatives), the possession and cultivation of drugs in commercial quantities and street-level trafficking. We pride ourselves on our strong knowledge of police warrant and search powers and many other issues central to drug cases. We also have a large, results-based referral network to assist people suffering from issues with substance abuse and addiction.

Dishonesty and fraud offences include theft, robbery, armed robbery, burglary, aggravated burglary, handling stolen property, money laundering, forgery, and bribery. Offences can range from the theft of a chocolate bar to multi-million dollar fraud. For minor offences, the severity of the penalty itself may be light but the consequences of having a criminal record may have a significant impact on a client’s life. It might prevent them from obtaining a job or limit options for overseas travel.

Penalties from driving offences can impact employment, social life, relationships and general mobility. Some driving offences can attract serious penalties, including mandatory cancellation and disqualification of your driver’s licence, as well as a substantial term of imprisonment.

There is a spectrum of violence charges from intentionally causing serious injury to general unlawful assault. Penalties can include imprisonment, so it is important you get sound advice as soon as possible.
The team at Markotich Lawyers are very experienced at running identification defences and self-defence matters. Even if you admit some wrong conduct, the skilled negotiation of the charges can be crucial to avoiding significant consequences, such as a jail term.

The offence of damaging property can range from the fairly minor (breaking a window) to major offences (arson). Penalties can vary, so it is important you get the right advice as soon as possible.

Sexual offences are inherently serious and can vary from indecent assault, rape, sexual penetration of a child and incest, to possessing or producing child pornography. Sexual offences are incredibly complex and often rely on multiple different versions of the same event.
Whether you are innocent or not, facing an allegation of sexual assault is serious and can be very stressful. Extensive preparation backed by a solid and experienced legal team is vital to ensure the best outcome is achieved.

Federal law is a specific area of law and complex to understand. The services of a lawyer experienced in dealing with Commonwealth prosecutions is essential, as Commonwealth prosecutions are rarer and different laws and sentencing regimes apply.

An intervention order (IVO) is imposed by a Magistrate and prohibits another person from certain actions in regards to you (if you are the applicant, or prohibits you from certain actions in regards to another person (if you are a respondent. This can include contact or communication, family violence, intentionally causing damage to property, and restrictions on publishing information on the internet.
An IVO application may resolve with the consent of the other party or it may run to a contesting hearing where the applicant gives evidence. We provide representation for both types of orders whether you are the applicant or respondents.

Types of IVO’s

1. Family Violence Order (FVO) – designed to protect you from a family members who are violent

A FVO is an order put in place by Victoria Police on behalf of a complainant, where the complainant is alleged to be a victim of family violence. FVO’s are imposed against accused persons as a matter of police policy in family violence cases. These orders are usually put in place on an immediate, interim basis for a 24–48 hour period, until the matter can be put before a Magistrate.

2. Personal Safety Intervention Order (PSO) – Protect against violence from people who are not family members.

Any person who has been the victim of threats or feels their personal safety is at risk from another party can make an application for a Personal Safety Intervention Order (PSO). In order to do so, the applicant must make an appointment at their local Magistrates’ Court, and complete a detailed application form. Depending on the grounds of the application, the court registrar may:

1. put the application immediately before a magistrate; or
2. set down a court date in the near future to allow the respondent time to consider the application and attend court to answer the allegations.

Whether a PSO or a FVO, intervention orders and the court proceedings surrounding them, can be very lengthy, emotional and complex matters. Having legal representation at every stage of the IVO process is essential, as agreeing to an IVO (of any kind) must be treated with the utmost seriousness. Breaches of these orders are punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment and/or huge fines. There are also serious repercussions for people who hold firearms licenses or are involved in Family/Federal Court proceedings.