CRIMINAL CHARGES:

What To Do When You Are Charged With a Crime

The most important thing you can do when you are being accused of a crime is to immediately contact your attorney. Do nothing else; talk to nobody else. Do not try to talk your way out of the charge, even if you are completely innocent. Call your attorney wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

We have handled criminal charges at every level in federal district court, county court, and New York supreme court. In federal court our cases have included serious weapons charges, drug felonies, tax fraud, and white collar crimes, as well as lesser offenses. In state court our cases have included almost all of the serious felonies such as A-1 drug felonies, assaults, robbery, rape, sexual abuse, burglary, and felony DWI. We regularly represent people on misdemeanors such as shoplifting, driving while intoxicated, and criminal mischief, and in defense of minor violations such as trespassing and harassment. Traffic offenses are usually violations, although some charges such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) are misdemeanors and felonies in New York State. We have represented people on almost every charge which a person can be charged under the law. We have handled felonies and misdemeanors in federal court, including trials and hearings in federal court. We have tried felonies, misdemeanors and violations before all of the state courts in Onondaga County, the Syracuse City Court, and in most of the local justice courts. We represent those charged with parole and probation violations.

We represent people charged with violating federal security clearance rules.  The violation of a federal security clearance is serious, since often security clearances are necessary to maintain employment both in private industry and in government jobs.

Since the start of our law practice in 1979 we have represented hundreds of people charged with crimes as every level and degree of severity in the criminal justice system. We have appeared in almost every criminal court in the area, both federal and state.

It is important that your attorney can try your case if the need arises, but only about 5% of our criminal cases go to trial. 95% of our cases are resolved with a plea to a lesser charge, or an ACD, or a dismissal. Whether your case is tried or resolved without trial depends on hundreds of factors which we discuss with you when we go over your case with you. If you are charged with a crime, you should call us immediately, because the stakes in a criminal case are so high.

Felonies are all charges which carry maximum sentences of many years in jail. Even misdemeanors such as petty larceny (shoplifting) carry a maximum sentences of one year in jail, and violations carry 15 day jail maximums. Few people do the maximum jail time for a crime, but even if you get no jail, a criminal conviction messes up your background with a criminal record which will haunt you for life.

People make mistakes.  They commit sins.  Even good people do things which are wrong, especially when they are young and foolish.  The measure of a man is not whether he lives a perfect life.  The measure of a man is how he deals with his mistakes and sins.  This is where we can help you.  You may be completely innocent of the crime, or not.  But either way, when you are charged with a crime, you need immediate and effective legal counsel.

Call us if you are charged with a crime or violation. We can help you turn things around when it looks like disaster has struck. We can lead you through the minefield of the criminal justice system, and show you that there is a life after being accused of a crime.