Hanlon Law

Before contacting law enforcement you should always discuss the circumstances surrounding your arrest warrant with an experienced criminal 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!

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 you can. Your discussions with any prospective lawyer (even if you don't hire that lawyer) are confidential. Those discussions fall within the attorney/client privilege. Nothing you tell your lawyer should be communicated to anyone.

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.

Yes. It does matter. Many people feel that a local criminal defence attorney 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.