What criminal law covers
Criminal law covers arrest, bail, charges, plea decisions, trial, sentencing, appeals, criminal records, and expungement.
Loading
Loading page.
Practice areaCriminal Law
Criminal Law
Understand arrest, bail, criminal charges, court appearances, criminal records, and find criminal defence lawyers.
6Criminal issues
18Glossary terms
1Resources
144Lawyers
10Firms
Problem pathways
Start with the criminal issue
Criminal matter
I was arrested
Understand arrest, bail, first appearance, and urgent lawyer discovery.
Terms, resources, lawyersCriminal matterI need bail
Start with bail, court appearance, conditions, and preparation points.
Terms, resources, lawyersCriminal matterI received a charge sheet
Understand charges, court dates, plea options, and legal help paths.
Terms, resources, lawyersCriminal matterCriminal record problem
Explore criminal record, expungement, and future employment concerns.
Terms, resources, lawyersCriminal matterAppeal after conviction
Understand criminal appeal, sentence questions, and lawyer discovery.
Terms, resources, lawyersCriminal matterDiversion or settlement
Learn when diversion may be relevant and what support may be needed.
Terms, resources, lawyersOverview
Criminal law overview
Common criminal matters
Common matters include bail applications, assault, theft, fraud, driving offences, domestic violence charges, and record issues.
When legal help is useful
Legal help is useful immediately after arrest, before plea decisions, when bail is opposed, or when a conviction or sentence is being challenged.
Next step
Need help with a criminal charge?
Services
Common services
Bail Applications
Bail preparation, conditions, court appearance, and urgent representation.
Criminal Defence
Charges, evidence, plea decisions, trial preparation, and defence strategy.
Criminal Appeals
Appeals, sentence review, conviction issues, and appeal preparation.
Expungement
Criminal record checks, eligibility, and expungement process pathways.
First Court Appearance
Charge sheet, bail, postponement, and next-step preparation.
Diversion
Diversion options and alternatives where legally available.
Glossary
Popular criminal law terms
Criminal Law TermsTerm
Criminal LawArrest
Being taken into police custody because authorities suspect an offence.
Explore termCriminal Law TermsTerm
Criminal LawBail
Court-approved release before trial, usually with conditions.
Explore termCriminal Law TermsTerm
Criminal LawCharge sheet
Formal document stating the criminal charge.
Explore termCriminal Law TermsTerm
Criminal LawCriminal record
Official record of convictions or relevant criminal status.
Explore termCriminal Law TermsTerm
Criminal LawExpungement
Legal process to remove qualifying criminal record information.
Explore termResources
Criminal law resources
Court Process ResourceCriminal Court Preparation Pack
Criminal Court Preparation Pack for understanding court steps, filings, evidence, deadlines, and lawyer handover points in criminal law.
Criminal LawRelated guide
Bail Preparation Checklist
Checklist for charge details, court date, address information, employment records, and surety details.
Preparation pathRelated guide
First Appearance Guide
Guide to charge sheets, bail questions, postponements, and preparation before court.
Preparation pathRelated guide
Criminal Record Expungement Guide
Guide to record checks, eligibility questions, timing, and documents to prepare.
Preparation pathFAQs
Criminal law FAQs
What should I do after an arrest?
Get the charge details, court date, and bail information, and speak to a qualified legal professional as soon as possible.
What is bail?
Bail allows an accused person to be released while the case continues, usually with conditions set by court.
Can a criminal record be removed?
Expungement depends on the offence, sentence, timing, and statutory requirements.
Do I need a lawyer for a first appearance?
Legal help is useful where bail, charges, plea decisions, or possible imprisonment are involved.
Lawyer discovery
Criminal defence lawyers
Bartho van Tonder
UnverifiedCape Town
ConveyancingLitigationCommercial Law
Cynthia du Plessis
UnverifiedRustenburg
Commercial LawConveyancingCriminal Law
Carla de Sousa
UnverifiedCape Town
Commercial LawCriminal LawDebt Collection
Farzanah Mugjenkar
UnverifiedCape Town
Commercial LawCriminal LawDebt Collection
Firm discovery
Criminal law firms
CGG INC Attorneys
UnverifiedSouth Africa
6 lawyersCriminal LawDebt CollectionLabour Law
Hannes Pretorius Bock & Bryant Attorneys
UnverifiedSouth Africa
6 lawyersConveyancingCriminal LawFamily Law
CGG INC Attorneys
UnverifiedSouth Africa
5 lawyersCriminal LawDebt CollectionLabour Law
Casper Le Roux Inc
UnverifiedSouth Africa
4 lawyersLitigationConveyancingCriminal Law
Locations
Location discovery
Related areas
Related practice areas
Legal help