Drink Driving Lawyer
Cairns & Far North Queensland
If you have been charged with drink driving, you are facing a mandatory licence disqualification. That cannot be avoided. What Sacha does between now and your sentencing hearing can however determine how long that disqualification lasts, how large the fine is, and whether a conviction goes on your record.
What a Drink Driving Charge Means in Queensland
Every drink driving conviction in Queensland carries a mandatory licence disqualification. The Magistrates Court has no discretion to waive it. What the court does have discretion over — for most charge categories — is the length of the disqualification, the size of the fine, and whether a conviction is recorded. Your charge category is fixed by your BAC reading at the time of the offence. It…
What Actually Decides Your Sentence
The BAC reading sets the range. Sacha determines where in that range the outcome falls. The difference between the minimum and maximum disqualification in your category is significant — and so is whether a conviction is recorded at all. The factors that move a sentence toward the lower end include: Your traffic and criminal history. A first offence with a clean record sits at the bottom of the…
Can I Keep Driving? Work Licences in Queensland
This is the first question many clients ask. The answer depends on your charge provision and your driving history — not the BAC reading. A work licence is a restricted driving authority granted by the Magistrates Court under section 87 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (Qld). It allows you to drive for work purposes during your disqualification period. It does not restore…
Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program
If your offence triggers the interlock program, you will be required to have an approved alcohol ignition interlock device fitted to your vehicle after your disqualification period ends. The interlock prevents the vehicle from starting unless you provide a clean breath sample. It is administered by the Department of Transport and Main Roads — not the court. The interlock program applies if you are…
Fixed Fees
- Drink Driving Plea — $2,100
- Work Licence Application — $1,500
- Drug Driving Plea — $2,100
- Licence Disqualification Appeal — $2,200