Criminal Law Solicitor for County Wicklow
County Wicklow’s criminal lists run at Bray Courthouse in the Civic Centre on Main Street, where both the District Court and the Circuit Court sit, and at Arklow Courthouse on the Parade Ground. For anyone in Bray, Greystones, Wicklow town, Arklow or Blessington who has been charged or summonsed, Rafter Solicitors, a criminal defence practice based in Kilkenny, can take the matter on from the first listing.
Three questions every Wicklow client asks first
Do I have to go? What will happen? Will it end with a conviction? The first two have clear answers once we have seen the summons or charge sheet: it states the court and the date, and we explain what the first appearance involves so there are no surprises. The third depends on the offence, the evidence and the decisions taken along the way, and it is the question we work on from the day you instruct us.
That work begins with disclosure, the material the prosecution relies on, which we request and go through with you. It includes the account of how the allegation arose, any garda interview and how it was recorded, and in road traffic matters the analysis results and the procedure that produced them. We look for the points that matter, prepare you for each listing, and deal with the court office and the prosecution so you do not have to.
If the matter is still at the garda station, our garda station page for County Wicklow covers the interview stage.
Bray and Arklow: where a Wicklow case is heard
Bray Courthouse hosts both the District Court and the Circuit Court, so a case that begins with a District Court listing in Bray and is later sent forward for trial by jury can remain in the same building. Arklow Courthouse at Saint Anne’s on the Parade Ground is a District Court venue for District No. 16, County Wicklow. First listings deal with the charge, bail where it arises and an application for criminal legal aid for a defendant who cannot pay for representation; legal aid is decided by the court on means and on the seriousness of the charge.
Where a Wicklow client has missed a date, or has moved and did not receive a summons, the first task is to find out what the court did in their absence and to deal with any warrant quickly and properly. We check the court record, arrange the appearance that is needed and explain the position to the court on your behalf.
Many offences are heard and finished in the District Court; others are sent forward; a few can only be tried in the higher courts. Which applies to your charge is something we set out in consultation after reading the papers, and the words you will hear in court are explained in our District Court glossary.
From the Dublin border to Arklow: Wicklow clients and how we work with them
The Wicklow County Council area runs from Bray and Greystones on the Dublin border down the coast through Wicklow town to Arklow, and inland to Blessington and the uplands. Rafter Solicitors is based at 26 James Street in Kilkenny and attends Wicklow court sittings for the clients it represents in the county; consultations are held at the Kilkenny office, by phone or by video, which suits most Wicklow clients who work in Dublin.
Alexander Rafter, the principal, handles criminal matters personally. The practice attends garda stations around the clock, represents clients in the District Court, prepares serious cases for trial, and advises on applications to have a conviction overturned.
For many Wicklow clients the hardest part is the waiting between listings, so we keep you informed: what has been served, what has been requested and not yet received, and what the next date is for. You will not learn what is happening in your case by standing in a courtroom corridor.
To talk through a charge or a summons in County Wicklow, use the contact page to arrange a consultation with Rafter Solicitors. There is no obligation at the first conversation; a letter of engagement follows only if both sides decide to proceed.
Towns we cover in County Wicklow
Pages for towns in County Wicklow: Arklow, Ashford, Baltinglass, Blessington, Bray, Greystones, Newtownmountkennedy, Rathdrum, Wicklow Town.
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.
