Over recent years Van Cauter Advocaten has built up an expertise in various fields of criminal law. The office focuses exclusively on criminal cases, but exceptionally takes up civil law cases when they are closely related to a criminal case that is handled by the office.
Below you will find a non-exhaustive overview of the various branches of criminal law within which Van Cauter Advocaten is active.
Van Cauter Advocaten provides advice and assisctance in cases regarding fiscal and economical criminal law that, for example, pertains to:
- frauduldent bankruptcy
- tax fraud
- money laundering
- forgery
- fraudulant insolvency
- misappropriation of assets
- active and passive corruption
Property crime involves a wide range of violations of the right of ownership, i.a.:
- theft and robbery
- fencing of stolen property
- extortion
- abuse of trust
- fraud
- computerfraud (e.g. phsihing, hacking, etc.)
- counterfeiting
Social criminal law involves all violations of the Social Criminal Code of 6 June 2010
Criminal customs law involves the prosecution by the civil servants of 'Customs and Excise' for violation of the customs and excise regulations
Van Cauter Advocaten also provides advice and assistance in cases concerning violand crime such as e.g.:
- (un)intentional assault and battery
- (in)voluntary manslaughter
- homicide
- torture and inhuman treatment
- insult and resistance to a representative of public authority
- threats
- abduction and hostage taking
- negligence
- stalking and harassment
Van Cauter Advocaten handles with the greatest discretion cases concerning sexual offences such as:
- indecent assault
- rape
- voyeurism
- incitement to prositution
- public indecency
- cybergrooming
- child pornography
Road traffic law consists of all regulations concerning road traffic, from hit and run to driving times and rest periods, from driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs to violations on traffic regulations (parking regulations, etc.) or violations concerning the driver's licence and the learner's licence
The extensive expertise of Van Cauter Advocaten extends across various offences to be found in the Criminal Code such as:
- criminal organisation and gang activity
- false testimony and perjury
- false identity
- violation of trade secrets
- slander, defamation and malicious prosecution
- vandalism
- arson
- human trafficking
- activities of slum lords
- evasion of child support
The office is also specialised in cases concerning violations of extraordinary criminal laws, i.a.:
- weapons legislation
- trasport criminal law
- hormones legislation
- drunk and disorderly
- human trafficking
- violations of the Housing Code
Van Cauter Advocaten provides assistance during procedures before the 'Strafuitvoeringsrechtbank' and the 'Kamer voor de Bescherming van de Maatschappij'
Van Cauter Advocaten provides assistance during:
- the extradition of people to a European country on the basis of a European arrest warrant
- the extraditon of people to a non-European country on the basis of an extradition treaty
Van Cauter Advocaten has extensive experience in conducting procedures before the Court of Cassation.
Since 1 March 2016 it is mandatory to hold an official certificate to bring an action before the Court of Cassation and to sign written observations in such proceedings.
At this moment, the office holds five lawyers wo are certified: mr. Joris Van Cauter, mr. Maarten Knops, mr. Karel De Meester, mr. Hanne Ollevier and mr. Eugénie Van Der Meersch. The office is regularly consulted to provide advice and draft written observations for other law-offices.
Van Cauter Advocaten regularly provides assistance during procedures before the Constitutional Court, both to private individuals, businesses and other law-practitioners.
The office frequently, and with succes, takes the initiative to pose a preliminary question to the Constitutional Court. Furthermore it also provides assistance with regard to actions for annulment before the Constitutional Court.
Van Cauter Advocaten is experienced in conducting procedures before the European Court of Human Rights.
The office regularly files petitions to bring a case before the European Court of Human Rights.
Thus, internal court rulings can be measured against the European Convention on Human Rights and the office ensures that everyone's human rights are complied with.
The extensive experience of Van Cauter Advocaten makes it possible to call upon the office for conducting 'extraordinary', uncommon procedures such as:
- rehabilitation
- compensation for ineffective pre-trial detention
- compensation from the Fund for Victim Support
- clemency
Drug-related crim include all violations of the law of 24 February 1921 on drugs and all royal executive orders.
These include i.a. the following offences:
- drugimport
- drugexport
- manufacturing of drugs
- posession of drugs
- drug sales
- cultivation of cannabis