Criminal Law Solicitor for County Waterford
A criminal matter in County Waterford can begin in a garda station in the city, at a checkpoint outside Dungarvan or with a summons delivered in Tramore, and it can end in the District Court or in front of a Circuit Court jury on Catherine Street. Rafter Solicitors, a criminal defence practice based in Kilkenny, acts for Waterford clients through each of those stages.
Taking a Waterford case from the first papers to the hearing
The first step is always the same: read what you have been given. A summons or charge sheet names the offence and the court; a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions tells you a decision has been made on how the case will proceed. We then request the prosecution’s disclosure, which for a Waterford matter may include garda statements, CCTV, breath or blood analysis, or the recording of an interview, and we examine whether each step that led to the charge was carried out lawfully.
With that material we can advise properly. Sometimes the right course is to contest the charge; sometimes it is to prepare a plea and put the fullest possible picture before the judge at sentence. We explain the choices and their consequences in plain language, and we do not make decisions for you.
Waterford clients often need practical answers alongside the legal ones: whether bail conditions can be changed to allow for work or family commitments, what to do if a court date clashes with a shift or a hospital appointment, and how to deal with a bench warrant if a date was missed. We handle those applications and explain the likely response of the court before they are made.
If someone is being held now, our garda station page for County Waterford deals with the interview stage and the right to a solicitor.
District Court at Dungarvan, Circuit Court at Waterford Courthouse
County Waterford is District Court area No. 21, and Dungarvan Courthouse on Bridge Street is one of its District Court venues. Waterford Courthouse on Catherine Street in the city is where the Circuit Court sits, so a case that is sent forward for trial by jury moves to Catherine Street. First listings deal with the charge, bail where it arises, and the application for criminal legal aid for a defendant who cannot afford representation; legal aid depends on means and on the seriousness of the charge and is decided by the court.
We confirm the venue, the courtroom and the time with the court office before each Waterford listing and tell you exactly where to be, so that the day is spent on the case rather than on finding the right door.
Whether an offence stays in the District Court or goes to the Circuit Court depends on the offence itself and, for some offences, on the prosecution’s election and the court’s view of the facts. We set out the likely path for your charge in consultation. The words used in court are explained in our District Court glossary.
Waterford city, Dungarvan and Tramore clients
Waterford City and County Council covers the city, Dungarvan, Tramore, Lismore and the coast between, and the county shares a boundary with Kilkenny along the Suir. Rafter Solicitors is based at 26 James Street in Kilkenny, and court attendance in Waterford is arranged for each listing; consultations happen at the Kilkenny office, by phone or by video.
The principal, Alexander Rafter, handles criminal defence personally. The practice attends garda stations at any hour, represents clients in the District Court, prepares serious cases for trial, and advises on applications to have a conviction overturned.
For a Waterford client the gap between listings is where the case is really prepared. We use it to obtain the material the prosecution relies on, to take your instructions on each piece of it, and to decide with you how the case should be run, so that each court date is a step forward rather than a repeat of the last one.
If you have a charge or summons in County Waterford, use the contact page to arrange a consultation with Rafter Solicitors. There is no obligation at the first conversation; a letter of engagement is issued only if both sides decide to go ahead.
Towns we cover in County Waterford
Pages for towns in County Waterford: Cappoquin, Dungarvan, Kilmacthomas, Lismore, Portlaw, Tramore, Waterford City.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Sound legal advice is based on years of training, hard work, and passion, as well as familiarity with legislation and precedent and sound consideration. You’ll find all that and more at Rafter Solicitors.
- 26 James Street, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
Written by Alexander Rafter, Solicitor. Last reviewed October 2026.
This page is general information, not legal advice. The position depends on the circumstances of each case and on current law.
In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.
