State Criminal Defense

A great number of misdemeanor and felony charges are filed in state court.  The penalties imposed in state court can include expensive fines, incarceration in state prison, and a range of other consequences, including the loss of professional licensure and the destruction of your personal and professional reputation. If you are facing state charges, your first action must be to engage the services of a criminal defense lawyer. You must have legal representation from a seasoned litigator who has the skills to develop a well-crafted case for your defense and who will protect your rights throughout every phase of the proceedings.

Types of state crimes

State criminal charges can include white-collar offenses, violent crimes, drug crimes, domestic violence charges, sex crime charges, theft crimes, property crimes, and gun and weapon charges, among others. If you are under investigation or charged with a crime in state court, your criminal defense attorney at Hickey & Chung LLP will take every legal action to mitigate the damage, including:

• Seeking dropped or dismissed charges: This action is among the most positive outcomes, as the charges against you are removed. This action could be performed if the evidence against you was obtained illegally or was the result of a rights violation. 
• Filing motions to suppress evidence: Certain evidence could be suppressed. When a person has been the victim of an illegal action by law enforcement, such as an illegal stop or search that led to certain evidence against you, a motion can be filed to suppress the evidence, which could lead to a case dismissal or a more favorable result at trial.
• Pursuing reduced charges: Reducing the charge against you can be a great benefit. In many cases, negotiations with the prosecutor in a plea deal can lead to a felony charge being reduced to a misdemeanor. 
• Defending you at trial: A professionally crafted defense case can convince a jury of your innocence and lead to a favorable verdict.
• Filing an appeal: If the verdict or punishment imposed was unfair, you have the right to file an appeal. You must have a legal basis for the appeal, which will be an alleged material error that occurred during the trial. 
• Writ of habeas corpus: This writ can be filed in federal court when the state appeals process has been exhausted, which claims your federal constitutional rights were violated.

After an arrest: What to do

If you have been arrested, you must exercise your rights under the Constitution, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. The quality, experience, and skills of your criminal defense lawyer is arguably the most important factor in the final outcome of your case. While the state will supply you with an attorney, public defenders are known to be overworked and underpaid, and no matter how dedicated the attorney, can rarely afford the time to engage in all the actions needed to develop a strong case for your defense. It is imperative that you are represented by a lawyer that will take every legal action to protect your rights as a defendant and to reduce the damage to your life, freedom, and future. 

Why choose Hickey & Chung LLP to defend you?

Our legal team has achieved a reputation for legal excellence. We are dedicated to the people we represent and have immediate access to resources such as PIs, financial consultants, tax advisors, and other experts. We engage in a thorough investigation into the facts and will take every legal avenue to achieve the best possible outcome based on the facts of your case.