Required

Glen Burnie Criminal Lawyer

If you are facing charges for an alleged criminal offense, the uncertainty could feel overwhelming. You likely have very little information provided by the officers. If you have questions about what an arrest means for you, an experienced criminal defense attorney could have the answers.

Criminal charges could come in many different forms. Misdemeanors are the less-severe charges, while felonies carry the steepest penalties. Regardless of the type of criminal charge, a conviction could have a significant impact on your life. To discuss your options for fighting back against your charges, contact a Glen Burnie criminal lawyer right away.

Misdemeanor Charges

Misdemeanor charges carry the shortest range of punishments. In most states, incarceration on a misdemeanor conviction is capped at a maximum of one year in jail. That is not the case in Glen Burnie. While some misdemeanor charges carry at most 90 days in jail, the most severe penalties for a misdemeanor conviction are ten years of imprisonment. This is significantly higher than the maximum penalties for a misdemeanor in most other states.

In addition to jail time, monetary fines are also a factor in most misdemeanor convictions. Like with jail time, the potential fines following a conviction vary significantly from one charge to another. These fines typically run between $500 and $5,000.

One of the reasons the penalties under state law are more severe than other jurisdictions results from the way the state classifies misdemeanors. Many charges that are felonies in other states are classified as misdemeanors in Glen Burnie. Common misdemeanor charges include:

Given the potential for a lengthy jail sentence upon conviction, it is never in a person’s best interest to represent themselves on misdemeanor charges. An experienced Glen Burnie criminal attorney could help that person fight to have those charges reduced or dismissed entirely.

Felony Charges

While misdemeanor charges could have major consequences, many cases result in little to no time behind bars. Felony cases are more serious, given that convictions typically result in some form of a prison sentence. In fact, all felony charges have the potential for at least one year in state prison. While the minimum prison sentence is one year, the maximum in the most serious cases could lead to a life sentence. In addition to jail time, a conviction could also lead to community service and fines.

Collateral Consequences for a Felony Conviction

While the penalties prescribed by statute are steep, a felony conviction could also lead to collateral consequences. These consequences are not penalties written into the criminal code, but they are common issues most people convicted of a felony endure. These consequences include:

  • Losing the right to vote
  • Losing the right to own a firearm
  • Difficulty finding employment
  • Difficulty maintaining housing
  • Impact on custody rights

For some, the collateral consequences of a conviction could be more costly than a jail sentence. A Glen Burnie criminal attorney could help their clients prevail at trial and avoid these consequences entirely.

A Criminal Defense Lawyer Could Protect the Rights of the Accused

One of a criminal defense lawyer’s most important tasks is ensuring the accused’s rights are protected. Without a defense attorney’s oversight, law enforcement officers may sometimes take advantage of the people they arrest and charge.

A criminal defense attorney in Glen Burnie could ensure that an accused individual is released from custody as quickly as possible. If bail is required, the lawyer could argue for a realistic sum and practicable conditions of release.

The legal professional could immediately challenge the prosecutor to produce evidence supporting the charge. It is sometimes possible to get the charge dropped soon after an arrest. In other cases, negotiations to resolve the charge as quickly and favorably as possible could begin.

Preparing an Effective Defense

Everyone charged with a crime is entitled to a vigorous defense. The specifics may vary with the circumstances, but some basic defense principles apply in every case.

A Glen Burnie defense attorney could scrutinize the investigation and arrest. Reviewing search warrants, police body cam footage, witness statements, and all other available evidence could reveal that law enforcement officials violated a defendant’s rights. When there is proof of a civil rights violation, a judge may dismiss any charges that resulted from it.

The legal professional could simultaneously prepare to defend the specific charge. Each charge has multiple elements that a prosecutor must prove to get a conviction. By exploiting any weakness in the prosecutor’s evidence of any of the elements or finding contradictory evidence, the lawyer could raise enough doubt to cause the prosecutor to drop or reduce the charge, or could obtain an acquittal at trial.

Resolving the Matter as Favorably as Possible

When it is not possible to obtain a complete dismissal of a charge, a Glen Burnie criminal attorney would work for as positive a resolution as the circumstances permit. They would discuss the possible scenarios with the accused and work to achieve their goals.

The alternatives available typically depend largely on the accused’s criminal history and the charge’s seriousness. There could be an option to participate in diversion programs to avoid incarceration. When an accused person has a substance use disorder or mental health challenges, enrollment in a court-supervised treatment program may be possible.

In some cases, an accused person may have information that is valuable to prosecutors. When the accused is willing to enter into a cooperation agreement, that may be the best way to limit a crime’s potential consequences.

Criminal Sentencing

Judges overseeing criminal cases use the Maryland Sentencing Guidelines to determine what penalties to impose on criminal offenders. The guidelines establish a point system that determines a sentencing range.

The guidelines provide three different matrices for three categories of crime: person offenses, drug offenses, and property offenses. The point system considers the seriousness of the crime within its category and the offender’s prior criminal history. For person offenses, the guidelines also consider whether the crime involved a weapon and any injury to the victim.

A Maryland judge has the discretion to impose a sentence outside the guidelines. A Glen Burnie criminal defense attorney could present mitigating factors that might persuade a judge to impose a less severe sentence than the guidelines recommend.

If You Were Charged With a Crime, Contact a Glen Burnie Criminal Attorney Right Away

If you face criminal charges, you should never have to take on a prosecutor alone. The state has law enforcement’s full support, but you could have your own support team as well.

If you want to increase the chance of an acquittal at trial, seek the guidance of a Glen Burnie criminal lawyer at Price Benowitz. Call the firm today for a free case evaluation.