Differences Between a
Felony and a Misdemeanor (General
Information) The consequences
for misdemeanors and felony convictions are entirely different. The defendant must understand what crime he/she
has been charged with in order to understand what will happen
if convicted Generally, a misdemeanor crime is punishable by up
to one year in a county jail along with any assessed fines and
court costs. Misdemeanor trials are held in the state’s
lower court, usually referred to as Municipal Court or District
Court (such names may vary from state to state). Examples
of misdemeanor crimes include: disorderly conduct, drunk driving,
shoplifting, etc. A felony crime is punishable by one year or more in state prison or
a penitentiary. Felonies
may begin in the state’s lower court but may move up to the state’s
Superior Court, or higher court (such as Federal Court). (Names
for these courts may also vary from state to state.) Examples of felony crimes include murder, rape,
armed robbery, etc. It is advisable
that the defendant receive legal representation prior to an arraignment
or preliminary hearing. A
public defender may have little time to review the case prior
to an arraignment, or may not even be assigned the case until
the arraignment. A private
defense attorney can meet with the defendant prior to arraignment,
review the case, and provide information to the defendant regarding
the judicial process (Defendant’s Rights; Use of Private Investigator).
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Retainers
and Fees (General
Information) Our
firm recognizes that hiring an attorney can be a daunting task
in many respects. That
is the primary reason that one of our attorneys will meet with
you for an initial free consultation prior to discussing specific
terms of a Fee Agreement (usually a flat fee contract although
some cases may be an hourly fee arrangement). Our fees are determined ONLY by the attorney(s),
and based upon the nature of the charge(s) and the anticipated
complexity of the individual case. There
may be additional expense for experts, i.e., polygrapher,
investigator, accident reconstructionist,
medical doctors, or other forensic experts as may be required
for your individual case (Polygraph Information; Use of Private Investigator). If
you have any questions about our fees or contract, you can discuss
them with us at the time of the initial FREE CONSULTATION. (Contact Us) We
recognize that the expenses associated with the defense of a
criminal matter can seem overwhelming. Although
in most instances we require payment in full, prior to beginning
representation and appearing in court on your behalf, you may
qualify for a deferred payment option. Additionally,
we accept VISA, Mastercard, or American Express for payment of attorney
fees. Please
contact us (Contact Us) regarding
your case as everyone has a unique financial situation. We are here to HELP
you.
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Things You
Should Expect from Your Criminal Defense Attorney:
1.
The defense attorney must ethically
and actively defend his/her client.
2.
The defense attorney must present
all options to his client with recommendations and professional
opinions.
3.
The defense attorney must prepare
his client for each step of the legal process.
4.
The defense attorney must review
all possible defense scenarios, identify all witnesses, and review
evidence in support of the client’s case.
5.
The defense attorney must compose
a powerful defense strategy and a course of action to prove reasonable
doubt or otherwise minimize the defendant’s exposure or punishments.
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