Syracuse Criminal Lawyers
The Importance of Legal Representation in Criminal Cases
When you’re charged with a crime, your life is in the hands of men and women of the law who’ve pre-judged you before they even hear the facts of the case. They want to prosecute you, to win their case, no matter the cost. When you’re charged with committing a crime, you must show the prosecution team you won’t go unheard and that protecting your life is serious business. You deserve to have your day in court, to be given the same freedoms to prove your case as anyone else. When you retain our Syracuse criminal lawyers, rest assured we’ll fight for your case, your rights, and for justice, every step of the way. It is never a good idea to depend on a public defender when your life’s on the line. You need a lawyer who is there to see you through the case, with the best possible results in the outcome.
Misdemeanor Criminal Charges
Misdemeanor criminal convictions impact life more than many people care to realize until it’s happened to them. Of course, being charged with a misdemeanor crime is much easier than many people realize. A fun night on the town can go astray and an arrest made within minutes. A conviction of a misdemeanor charge can result in 11 months, 29 days in jail, fines and penalties, probation, court-ordered classes, and a reputation that’s tarnished forever. Assault, theft under $500, vandalism, and DUI are a few examples of misdemeanor crimes that you may be charged with. Although less serious than a felony criminal charge, misdemeanor crimes can do more than their fair share of devastation to your life. Spending even one day in jail is too many and most people agree that probation is only an expensive delay in a jail stint. No matter what happens in court, everyone knows the crime that you’ve been charged with and whether you’re guilty or not, they may run with this information. This can certainly turn life upside down. When you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor crime, assume its seriousness from the get-go and speak with an attorney.
Felony Criminal Charges
Life may never be the same after a felony criminal conviction. Felony charges are serious crimes that endanger the welfare of human life. Judges take felony cases very seriously and oftentimes hand down the harshest possible punishment after a conviction. Murder, rape, kidnapping, aggravated assault, arson, and possession of drugs with intent to resell are a few of the many types of crimes labeled as felony charges. Conviction of a felony crime can result in no less than one-year imprisonment, up to life in prison, depending on the nature of the crime and prior criminal history. After spending time in prison, many people find that it is hard to come back out into the real world and live a productive life. Individuals who are convicted of a felony criminal charge may be unable to obtain housing, loans, or own a firearm after their release from prison. Of course, it is common knowledge to many people in town that you’ve been to jail and of your charge, only causing this situation to worsen. You should not go to court without an attorney who can represent you and reduce these many worries.
What Can a Syracuse Criminal Lawyer Do for Your Case?
When you’re charged with a misdemeanor or a felony crime, you need a Syracuse criminal attorney there to represent you in court. Without a competent lawyer standing by your side, you may be deemed guilty before the case is heard and endure the worst consequences of the charge. With a Syracuse criminal attorney representing your car, you’ll have a voice in court. Lawyers prepare your defense strategy and otherwise fight tooth and nail to ensure you get the best outcome on your day in court. If you’re found guilty, the attorney fights to decrease the sentence so your life isn’t thrown into shambles so badly.
When you’ve been charged with a crime, do not take the matter as a joke. Your life is on the line, after all! Life happens and it sometimes goes astray. Oftentimes, criminal charges are filed against an individual after things have simply been misconstrued or blown out of proportion. It happens and you shouldn’t pay for that mistake with your life. A Syracuse criminal attorney ensures that the details of your case are revealed and that the truth is heard. The prosecution team wants to find you guilty of the crime that you’ve been charged with committing. Make sure you do not give them the upper hand and appear in court with a public defender to represent you. Hire a competent criminal attorney and make sure your life isn’t turned upside down.
Syracuse Federal Criminal Lawyers
Being arrested and charged with a crime can be a frightening experience, especially at the hands of the federal government. The feds have a special air of authority and power that makes it impossible to feel anything but fear and trepidation when you have fallen into their hands. They also have the resources of the entire federal government at their disposal—that is, they can call on the expertise, equipment, and knowledge of the most powerful nation-state in the world.
To feel that your life is over and that all is lost is natural. Indeed, that is how they want you to feel. However, even the federal government is governed by the Constitution. An arrest by federal authorities makes you no less protected by the Bill of Rights. And the most important one at the time of your arrest is the Fifth Amendment, which states that you cannot be compelled to turn in evidence against yourself.
The people who work in federal law enforcement are the best that there is at their jobs. They have had extensive training and vast experience. They are able to employ a variety of means to get people to talk; to say something that can incriminate them. Federal law enforcement officers are much more subtle and sophisticated than local police. They are unlikely to threaten and intimidate you directly. They will use other kinds of subterfuge to rattle and confuse you.
That is why you should say nothing until your lawyer arrives. This is especially important in a federal case because such a case will be handled by federal prosecutors who will also employ the full power of the United States government to convict you of the crime they have arrested you for. Your best option—in reality, your only option—is to hire a lawyer who specializes in defending people who have been charged with a federal crime.
Bank robbery, band fraud, counterfeiting, civil rights offenses, mail fraud, health care fraud, and firearms offenses are some of the many kinds of federal offenses. If you have been accused of any of these offenses, you are in serious trouble, and you must take action accordingly. Hiring a law firm that has people who are specialized in practicing before the federal bar is your only hope.
It is rare for federal law enforcement officials to do sloppy investigative work. Federal law enforcement agencies are so well-financed and equipped, and their standards are so high, that if you have been targeted and arrested it is likely they have something on you.
To be sure, evidence is not proof and proof is not certainty of guilt. Federal prosecutors must still prove their case against you in the court of law. And this is where your lawyer comes in.
You will find yourself in one of two general situations. Either you are guilty of what they have arrested and charged you for and you must work to get the best outcome possible. Or you are not guilty, and you must work to clear your name.
In the latter instance, it will be up to your lawyer to examine the evidence the feds have against you. Although federal law enforcement and prosecutors have higher standards than local authorities, they are not above stretching a point of fact or law to get a conviction. Defense lawyers who have experience dealing with federal cases will have deep insight into the methods, techniques, and mindset of federal prosecutors. They will understand the various processes, systems, and structures that govern the way they prosecute a case. Your lawyer will therefore know how to examine and scrutinize the evidence the authorities claim to have against you. Your lawyer will look for weaknesses, gaps, and inconsistencies and begin building your defense from that.
Your lawyer will also be able to counsel you during the interrogation. They will tell you when you have to answer questions and when you do not. They will also advise you on what to say and how to say it. Or, if you do not wish to speak at all, they can speak for you.
If there is a fight on bail, your lawyer can act on your behalf. Depending on the kind of crime you have been accused of and your criminal record, the feds may try to get the judge to deny bail. Your lawyer will fight hard against this. In most cases, if you have no criminal record, you will be granted bail, and your lawyer can make all the arrangements that will lead to your freedom until trial.
If you have not done anything wrong, your lawyer will work to expose the truth of this to the court. They will ensure that you receive a fair and impartial hearing. It will be the job of your attorney to gather the facts, introduce experts and eyewitnesses, employ forensic evidence, and apply the relevant bits of law necessary to win the case and clear your name and reputation.
Federal cases can gain notoriety in the media. If yours is especially high profile, your lawyer can help you do the kind of media events that will restore your good name and credibility. This is an essential part of vindication. You do not want the cloud of prosecution to hang over your life indefinitely.
If you are guilty of the crime that federal authorities have arrested you for, your lawyer will work to get you the best deal possible. If you are associated with or part of a larger organization that has been involved in misdeeds, then you might be able to leverage that to your advantage. The feds may be after a larger and much more significant figure. They may agree to a substantially reduced sentence if you are able to supply them with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person they want most.
In such dealings, it is important to have someone you trust on your side. You should leave it to your attorney to draw up any agreement you come up with and to ensure that it fair and reasonable.