Hanlon Law

Your past has a lot to do with the type of offer a prosecutor will make in your case. Do you have a criminal record? Have you been a contributing member of society? Even if you do have a criminal past have you taken steps to change your life? Did you struggle with an addiction of some type during the commission of the offense? A very important aspect of criminal defense is giving perspective to your client’s behavior. It is important for the prosecutor to understand that my client is a person. I do that by spending the time necessary to understand my client’s past and any struggles they endured before they were arrested. It is critical to personalize your client.

All criminal defense attorneys typically work on an up-front flat fee basis. How much will it cost to defend you? That will depend on the nature of the criminal charge and the complexities involved in resolving it. Your attorney’s level of experience will also be a factor used to determine the fee.

Yes. There are several ways your case can end up getting dismissed. First, of course, is the level of proof the prosecution may have against you. The prosecution may not have enough evidence to prove your guilt. When you sit down for a consultation with your lawyer he/she should be able to give a very good idea how powerful the prosecutor’s case might be. Second, there could be police misconduct involved in your case that could lead to a pretrial motion that could severely damage the prosecutor’s case or lead to a reduction of the charge. The police violate the defendant's rights every day. They might violate your right to privacy by conducting an unlawful search or seizure. The police could violate your right to remain silent or right to counsel by taking your statement without proper notice of your Fifth Amendment rights. In order to find out whether your case involves facts that could lead to a dismissal you should contact the office of an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Yes you can. Everything you tell a criminal defense attorney made for the purpose of obtaining legal services or for the purpose of furthering the attorney’s representation falls within the attorney/client privilege. The attorney/client privilege exists even during an initial consultation where the client chooses not to retain the lawyer. The communications between a lawyer and his client are privileged to permit the lawyer to prepare for litigation and render effective legal advice. This is why it is so important for the client to realize that total disclosure is critical to effective legal representation. Full disclosure prevents your criminal defense attorney from guiding you in the wrong direction. You should also be aware that a lawyer’s obligation to maintain your confidences is even broader than the attorney-client privilege. Every lawyer must act in the best interest of his/her client. Only under a very narrow set of circumstances can that responsibility be abandoned.

Absolutely not! The American system of justice requires proof before anyone can be found guilty under the law. How much proof? Proof beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt. In other words, when you sit down with a criminal defense attorney and explain your situation he should be weighing in his mind how your case will play in front of a jury. I can assure you the prosecutor is doing the same thing. In fact, all trial lawyers (both criminal and civil) measure the strength and weakness of their case based on how they think it will play before a jury. As a consequence, whether you actually committed the crime is of no consequence. The question you want answered is whether the prosecutor can PROVE you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. How do you determine that? By consulting with an experienced lawyer specialized in the area of criminal law.

First, you should make sure that you retain a criminal defense attorney you trust. Before you retain an attorney, spend the time you feel is necessary to gain that level of trust. Second, you should keep in regular communication with your attorney to discuss the steps they are taking in order to bring about the best possible result in your case.

Before contacting law enforcement you should always discuss the circumstances surrounding your arrest warrant with an experienced criminal defence attorney. We may be able to dismiss your charge and your warrant and avoid your arrest.

No. If you’re the suspect in an investigation, nothing you offer to law enforcement is ultimately going to help your case or prevent you from getting formally charged. It can only hurt you. Before speaking to the police, it is always important to consult with an experienced criminal attorney. Many times what you tell the police officer does not end up in his report. You should remember that every law enforcement officer has an agenda, and what actually ends up in their report is often an interpretation of what you tell them. Many times that interpretation is used by the law enforcement officer to support their decision to arrest you.

Not necessarily. Only the state attorney (US Attorney’s Office) can formally charge you with a crime. Many people think that they’ve been charged with a crime when they are arrested by a police officer. Police officers only have powers of arrest based on probable cause. They do not have the power to formally charge someone with a crime. You will only be formally charged with a crime after the prosecutor’s office has reviewed the police officer’s criminal investigation and decided to file charges against you. That is why it is critically important to contact and retain our office the moment you suspect you are being investigated.

The moment you become concerned that you may be the suspect in a criminal investigation, even if you haven’t been arrested, you should contact a criminal defence attorney immediately. Someone needs to be telling your side of the story to the police officer or the state attorney before you’re arrested or criminal charges are filed. Furthermore, if you are a suspect in a criminal investigation you should not be talking to anyone about the allegations, especially a law enforcement officer. Waiting can lead to an encounter with law enforcement that may lead to your arrest. Don’t wait!

Yes. It does matter. Many people feel that a local criminal lawyer will have a deeper relationship with the local prosecutors and local judges. When you’ve spent years practicing within a particular jurisdiction, you earn a certain level of credibility with them. That credibility can play a role in the ultimate resolution of your case.