It can happen to anyone. You may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or you may have had too much to drink one night and got pulled over driving home. Now, you’re facing trial in court, or having your driver’s license suspended. What can you do? Luckily, you have options. If you’re charged with a crime, you need to act quickly.
Get Legal Representation
Getting legal representation immediately after you are charged with a crime is extremely important. It can make or break your case. From the moment that you’re arrested or charged with a criminal offence, law enforcement’s job is to gather evidence and build a case against you. It is in your best interest to do the same and build a solid defense for yourself.
Not knowing your rights or not understanding the law can make defending yourself difficult. Even worse, it will have a huge, negative impact on the outcome of your case. For example, answering questions from a police officer or federal agent, or investigator, without a lawyer can be a costly mistake. Many times, even when you have haven’t done anything wrong, what you tell law enforcement can be misunderstood or misconstrued.
This type of confusion is easily avoided by speaking with a knowledgeable attorney who can counsel and advise you of your rights. It’s in your best interest to retain one. By invoking your right to a lawyer, you can get the best defense possible. A lawyer can help you avoid being falsely accused and can defend you against charges that shouldn’t be pressed against you.
How the legal system works
When you are charged with a crime, it is extremely important that you move quickly. The legal system is largely based on strict deadlines, and there are penalties for missing them. Penalties vary from fines, to bench warrants leading to your arrest, or even suspensions of your license simply for missing a deadline.
For example, if you are charged with “Driving Under the Influence” (DUI) in Utah, you have 10 days to request a Driver’s License Division (DLD) hearing or your driver’s license is automatically suspended for 120 days (first offense). Most Utahns are not aware of this, and you might be surprised at how often a person’s driver’s license is suspended simply because they failed to request a hearing within 10 days of the violation date. In some situations, we can have your driving privileges re-instated, but it’s a very difficult process after the fact. This is easily avoided, especially if you get a good criminal defense lawyer.
The best defense
To put it simply, the best defense is one that starts from the moment of the arrest. Even if you feel you are guilty, your first step should be to request to speak with a qualified attorney. Contact an attorney who can direct you on how to proceed. Lawyers can accurately evaluate the charges brought against you and provide you with the peace of mind in knowing what your rights are and what you are likely up against.
Do not underestimate that peace of mind either; “knowing” truly is “half the battle” (yes, that’s a G.I. Joe reference) when it comes to criminal charges, your liberty, your personal record, reputation, and future. In speaking with an attorney, you may be surprised to find out that what you’ve done, for one reason or another, is actually not a crime.
Competent legal representation can lead to charges being dismissed or reduced to a lesser charge against you. This all plays a very important role in your freedom and retaining your personal rights. For example, your right to possess a weapon (even for hunting or sport) can be stripped from you if you are charged with and convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors. When life, liberty, and other valuable rights are on the line, you can’t afford to go at it alone.
We want to be your advocate
Unlike many law firms, we offer a free consultation up front so that you know your rights and understand what the process of defending yourself. During your free consultation, you will meet with a qualified attorney who has experience in handling your type of case. The lawyer will analyze the issues and advise you accordingly. No two cases are alike, and your case may present complex legal issues, involving constitutional rights or procedural law that you are unfamiliar with. These issues may have a huge impact on your case, and potentially lead to dismissal or a better outcome.
Our firm, Helgesen, Houtz & Jones, has over 30 years of legal experience handling all kinds of cases, both simple and complex. As a result of our hard work and success in helping our clients, we are one of the largest firms in Davis County. Our attorneys are some of the best in the state, and our staff of paralegals are well-trained to provide you with the best service throughout the handling of your case. Most importantly, we want to be your attorneys!
We understand that individuals are falsely accused of crimes every day. We also understand how that the weight of criminal charges gives you a sense of uncertainty and not knowing what the future holds. As your attorneys we will fight tirelessly to achieve the best possible legal outcomes and treat your case with care.
We get no satisfaction in failure and have built our practice on placing ourselves in your shoes. We have obtained great success throughout the years by doing so. We are very familiar with the criminal field and as a firm have established a very respected reputation in the community. We also provide competent representation at a very affordable cost.
No matter how serious or hopeless your circumstances may appear, as your legal representation, know that we will continually provide the best defense possible for you. We are attorneys but we are people first. We look forward to the opportunity to speak with you. Call us today at 801-544-5306 for a free consultation to see how we can help you. Don’t deal with unfair charges on your own. Get the legal representation you deserve.
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