Abuse Of Public Office

Contact Woods & Co Lawyers in Adelaide

We are a specialist Criminal Law firm with decades of experience and a great reputation.

Abuse of Public Office offences aim to catch persons who improperly use their position to gain a benefit for themselves or someone else, or who cause a detriment or injury to another person. This can mean the exercising influence inappropriately, refusing to perform an official duty or function, or using knowledge gained by virtue of the public office. In practice, the offence is broader than might be commonly thought, and the bar lower. ‘Public officer’ does not simply mean politician or police officer. A person can commit an abuse of public office charge without ever accepting a bribe or favour. It is not a defence to say that you yourself did not benefit. With a renewed focus on corruption at the federal and state levels as well as increased discussion about the role of South Australia’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), persons charged with abuse of public office offences need expert advice from the moment they are charged.

What constitutes abuse of public office involves both objective and subjective tests. The conduct must be improper, meaning contrary to the standards of propriety generally and reasonably expected by the community. More than that, the person must know or be reckless as to whether or not they were acting improperly. An honest and reasonable belief in the lawfulness of the conduct can be a defence to the charge.

In building a case against a public officer, prosecutors will assess their conduct as broadly as possible, reviewing conversations with others, phone calls and emails, bank records and most importantly what the person says about their conduct in their interview with police. Getting advice early can ensure a person’s position isn’t prejudiced, potentially permitting defences and avenues to acquittal later on.

At Woods & Co Lawyers we give practical, detailed advice to help you make decisions and build your defence. The charge of abuse of public office is a serious and complex one – make an appointment with one of our experts today on 8311 3111.

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Criminal Lawyers Adelaide

If you are facing abuse of public office charges contact our team in Adelaide.

  • We have over 20 years of experience in delivering great results in criminal and traffic law cases in Adelaide

    We listen! We help! We deliver

  • Our client reviews support the high level of satisfaction we achieve for you.

    We have over 100 5-star reviews across Google & Facebook

  • We specialise only in Criminal and Traffic law matters. Our expertise, reputation & knowledge is second to none.

    We protect your rights!

Hayder Al Hamdany
Hayder Al Hamdany
25/10/2023
They are reliable, honest and operate with integrity. I recommend them to anyone who is looking for some great legal advocacy and support. Ben always takes the time to answer any questions I may have, and provides me with all the options available. As a new with a legal matter, it can be difficult to find a suitable lawyer. I was lucky to be connected to Ben. On another note, their charges were also very reasonable to the services they provided.
Sarah Budarick
Sarah Budarick
29/08/2023
I seriously have so much respect for woods and co especially Ben who has represented me. They are affordable, professional and aim for the best out come possible. The reception staff are also amazing.
tom warley
tom warley
09/08/2023
I can’t speak highly enough of my experience with Woods & Co. Hugh has helped me out on more than one occasion and kept my mind at ease whilst ensuring a positive outcome each time. I would definitely recommend their services to anyone.
Janice Collins
Janice Collins
16/06/2023
I would highly recommend Woods & Co Lawyers to others. A special thanks to Hugh for getting a good result quickly. To the ladies at the desk thank you for your wonderful support. Much appreciated 🙂
Lina Abete
Lina Abete
20/05/2023
Excellent professional service
Qamar Zaman
Qamar Zaman
02/05/2023
I highly recommend Woods&Co Lawyers. I got into big trouble for the first time and of course was scared out of my mind. MICHAEL WOODS AND HUGH WOODS and the rest of the team eased my mind about the whole process. Definitely great customer service and professionalism. I am also very happy with the deal I got. If I ever (which I hope I don’t) get into any other trouble, WOODS&CO Lawyers is the one I will call on. Thank you so much for everything!
Mori Shakouri
Mori Shakouri
09/03/2023
Really nice and gentlemen, professional and friendly, highly recommended