Criminal
Criminal charges place an individual in a situation where freedom is placed in jeopardy as a result of their alleged actions. One of the cornerstones of the law in this country is that an individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and we defend our clients with this always in mind. Everyone has the right to a fair trial, and we work with full determination to make sure that this happens in every case we undertake.
However, potential jail time isn't all that is at stake. In criminal cases, the defendant also risks a record of conviction on their criminal history, possible driver's license / auto insurance repercussions, fines, probation, community service and home confinement.
Sometimes the long term effects of criminal charges can be more damaging than the short term effects even when short jail stays are involved. For example, criminal convictions which get entered on an individuals arrest record can stay with them for many years to come and interfere with their ability to secure certain types of employment, or convictions on a driver's license record can trigger an increase or cancellation of auto insurance or even a suspension / revocation of their driving privilege.
If you are charged with a crime, do not delay in contacting an attorney. Some charges, such as DUI, have an initial short period of time (10 days after date of arrest) to take action before valuable rights may be forever forfeited. The sooner you have legal representation, the sooner your rights will be protected.
Types of Cases We Accept
- Drug Crimes
- Possession of Marijuana
- Possession of Cocaine
- Possession of Prescription Drugs or Other Controlled Substances
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Sales / Trafficking / Possession With Intent to Sell / Manufacture
- Sex Crimes
- Lewd and Lascivious Conduct
- Sexual Battery
- Indecent Exposure
- Solicitation of Prostitution
- Solicitation Sex Crimes by Computer / Internet
- Sex Crimes Involving Minors
- Traffic Crimes
- DUI / DWI
- Driving With a Suspended or Revoked License
- Reckless Driving
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident With Property Damage or Injury
- Fleeing and Eluding Law Enforcement
- Racing on the Highways
- General Crimes
- Petit Theft
- Grand Theft
- Burglary of a Structure / Dwelling / Conveyance
- Dealing in Stolen Property
- Trespassing
- Breaking and Entering
- Juvenile Offenses
- Robbery / Armed Robbery
- Forgery / Uttering
- Violation of Probation
- Child Abuse / Neglect
- Possession of a Concealed Weapon
- Prostitution / Solicitation
- Stalking / Aggravated Stalking
- Aggravated Assault / Battery
- Shoplifting
- Worthless Checks
- Domestic Violence
- Violation of a Domestic Violence Injunction
- Criminal Mischief
- Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon
- False Imprisonment / Kidnapping
- Resisting Arrest with / without Violence
Note: This list is not all-encompassing. If you have been charged with a crime that does not appear on this list, feel free to call our office to speak with one of our attorneys for a free consultation.
Know Your Rights
- You have the right to
- remain silent
- stop answering questions after you have started to speak with a law enforcement officer
- have an attorney present during questioning
- have an attorney appointed for you if you can not afford one
- a fair and speedy trial by a jury
- many other important Constitutional protections
Our Goals
Once you become a client, you will have the full resources of our office at your disposal. Our attorneys will work to resolve your issue either through pre-trial motions, a jury trial or a negotiated plea agreement with the prosecuting attorney. We strive to achieve the following results:
- keep charges off client's criminal record
- keep charges off client's driver's license record
- avoid / minimize community service and fines
- negotiating weekend incarceration or work release when jail-time is inevitable
Unsure if you have been arrested?
- If you aren't certain that you have been arrested, you may have been issued a notice to appear, summons or a uniform traffic citation with a mandatory court date. Although appearing similar to a speeding ticket, the officer may write you out a citation, but you are not taken to the police station or handcuffed. For legal purposes however, you may have been arrested, and will be given a court date as well as be subject to criminal penalties. A criminal charge would have a mandatory court date and time on the ticket, as well as have a box that says "Criminal Violation: Court Appearance Required" checked off. Notices to Appear or Summonses do not look the same, but may carry similar criminal penalties. Although these may vary slightly in different jurisdictions, examples of each may be found below.
- Examples:
- Criminal Uniform Traffic Citation
- Notice To Appear
- Summons