Criminal Quick Start Guide
They may have already been charged, or are still waiting to be charged with a crime, and may or may not be out of jail. You are looking to hire a lawyer, and have questions. If they are still in jail, you may not know how to get them out. You’re not sure what the charges mean or what the outcome will be. What happens at an arraignment? I have a warrant for my arrest; what should I do? You need some help and answers, and I am here to give them.
Choosing the right lawyer
My initial consultations are done conveniently and confidentially, right over the phone, during regular business hours. Most people are scared and nervous about their charge or upcoming case, and would prefer to have information sooner than later. Why wait for an appointment, take time off from work or school, only to find out the lawyer you finally meet with is too expensive, or you don’t have a “feel good” relationship with the lawyer from the onset?
After speaking with you over the phone, I will generally suggest that you check out other law offices, as well, just to get a feel for what’s out there. I will remind you that you should always inquire about the price and what they can do for you. You can and should learn a lot from this first call. Many other law offices don’t give you these answers or spend much time with you on the phone. They require you to come in and see you in person for that first “consultation.” This is where I feel my office is very different from others. I will spend the time with you, answer your questions and tell you what I can do for you without the need to make an appointment. In each and every case, you will know exactly what my fee will be, what I can do for you, where I’m coming from and where your case is going to go.
Your call will be answered by a friendly staff member who will know what kinds of questions to ask you right from the start in order to know exactly what the situation is. We’ll want to know, who was arrested (you, husband, boyfriend, brother, sister, son or daughter, etc.), when, and in what city. I believe strongly in knowing the law AND the Court, Prosecutors and other important personnel who will be involved in any particular case. In order to do that well, I limit my criminal practice to Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties. I deal with the same Prosecutors and appear in the same Courts, in front of the same Judges, day after day. It’s that kind of experience which allows me to give you an accurate picture of what is likely to happen in your case.
When you make an appointment, we’ll go over your situation in detail. Depending on your case this can take from one to two hours. When you leave, you’ll know exactly what to expect next, and what I’ll be doing for you.
The Court date
On your Court date (maybe your first, or your only Court date, depending on the kind of case you have) I’ll check into Court, confer with you briefly, and then go meet with the Prosecutor to discuss your case. In pretty much all misdemeanor cases except Drunk Driving, I am able to bring about a successful result right then and there and you won’t have to come back to Court anymore. Sometimes we have to come back a second time for something like a sentencing, but you’ll walk out of Court after that first date knowing almost exactly what to expect.
In felony cases, things are different. A felony case can only be handled and finalized in the County Circuit Court. The first real court date with the Attorney in a felony case is called a Preliminary Exam. This first court date is held in the local District Court where the case is brought.
Depending on the charge and where the case is being heard, it is sometimes possible for a felony charge to be reduced or “dropped” to a misdemeanor at that first court date. If that happens, you may (or may not) have to come back to Court again with me. Even in felony cases where the charge is not dropped to a misdemeanor at the Preliminary Exam, and which must continue to the County Circuit Court, I’ll be able to give you a pretty good picture of how things look and what you can expect as the case continues.
Whether your case is or was a felony or misdemeanor, and whether it’s wrapped up on the first, second, third or a subsequent Court date, the biggest concern anyone has is “what’s going to happen to me?” This question typically means something like “what is the Judge going to do to me at sentencing? Am I going to go to jail? Will I get probation? How much are the fines and costs likely to be?”
Unless someone has a bad prior criminal record, it’s usually not very difficult for me to keep a client out of jail. Whatever your situation, because of my experience and knowledge of the Court’s where I routinely practice, I can typically give an accurate estimation of what you are realistically facing from our first conversation. From then on, I have one primary concern: to make the negative consequences of your situation as minimal as possible. I guess you can call it damage control.
A lot goes into this, but it is one reason I restrict where I practice to the local courts. I know the Prosecutors, the Judges and the Probation Departments, and I know how they view things. I know what they consider important, and I know what doesn’t fly with them, as well. I will guide you through their world carefully, so you don’t step on any “land mines,” so to speak.
And through this whole process, you will always find my staff and I to be as friendly and helpful as we were on day one. We talk the language of real people. I will explain things in a way that you can understand so that you can make informed decisions and know what is really happening.
My job, as your lawyer, is to watch out for your interests throughout a case. Sometimes, that can involve interests you don’t even know you have while the case is going on. For example a person may be so happy to avoid jail or a lengthy term of probation that they are willing to accept a deal which, later, will screw up their Commercial Driver’s License or prevent them from getting a job in a certain field, or perhaps mean they can’t own a gun and go hunting next year.
Sometimes, you can find that what seemed like a good deal in the first place, wasn’t such a good deal after all. It might take more work and negotiating, but I’ll leave no stone unturned in order to make sure my client ends up with the best result humanly and legally possible. As I always say, no lawyer can ever do more, and I’ll never do less.
If you are facing a criminal charge and looking for a lawyer, you owe it to yourself to at least call me and get answers right away, before taking time off from work or hauling out to some appointment. I’m easy to talk to, and so is my staff. We are here to help.