Essex County
Criminal Lawyer
Essex County Criminal Defense Attorney
Facing criminal charges of any kind can be highly stressful for anyone. If you broke the law, you’re likely to wonder how a conviction will impact your life and what type of penalties you face. On the other hand, if you were wrongfully arrested for a crime you did not commit, it is very easy to feel that the entire criminal justice system is pitted against you. When you find yourself in either situation, it is vital to understand your constitutional rights as they apply to the criminal justice system and the value of reliable legal representation as you navigate your case.
Criminal Defense Representation for Essex County, NJ, Clients
Why Should I Hire an Essex County Criminal Lawyer?
You should never attempt to act as your legal counsel in a criminal case, even if you have been wrongfully charged with a crime you did not commit. However, every American citizen has a constitutional right to legal counsel when charged with a criminal offense.
The right Essex County criminal defense lawyer can provide personalized legal representation. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, have extensive experience handling difficult criminal cases and will take time to learn as much as possible about your situation when you choose our firm to represent you. We know Essex County prosecutors and how they tend to seek convictions, the legal strategies they typically employ, and how to mitigate clients’ penalties for severe criminal offenses.
After a Criminal Arrest in Essex County
You have two fundamental constitutional rights that come into effect after arrest for any criminal offense. First, the Sixth Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees your right to legal counsel, and you should take full advantage of this right as soon as possible after you complete the arrest and booking procedures. Second, the Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent upon arrest, and you should exercise this right until you can speak with a defense attorney.
Do not say anything after you are arrested, even if you know you did nothing wrong and feel compelled to try to explain your side of the situation. The police have no incentive to help you, and doing so would inhibit their conviction rate. Instead, comply with the officer’s directions during arrest and booking and say nothing until you can speak with an attorney.
Once you have an Essex County criminal defense attorney representing you, answer their questions and provide them with as much information as possible so they can begin working on your defense. A good lawyer will carefully review their client’s treatment in police custody. If you experienced any violation of your rights or if the police violated due process, your defense attorney can assist you in addressing these issues effectively.
Types of Criminal Defense Cases Our Firm Handles in Essex County
When you need an Essex County, NJ, criminal defense lawyer, it is crucial to find an attorney who has experience handling cases similar to yours. The Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, has represented many past clients in a wide range of cases. Some types of criminal cases our firm handles are:
- Theft and property crimes. The penalties for theft offenses in New Jersey typically hinge on the value taken and any aggravating factors present in the case, such as using a weapon. Theft can qualify as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the value taken and other details.
- Drug offenses. Drug-related offenses are among the most commonly prosecuted criminal charges in New Jersey. Our firm has represented clients facing drug possession charges and possession with intent to sell, drug manufacturing, and drug trafficking.
- Domestic violence. Violence that occurs within a family or household is subject to prosecution under New Jersey’s domestic violence laws. Any domestic violence conviction can result in strict penalties like fines and incarceration as well as loss of custody and visitation rights.
- Burglary offenses. Breaking into someone’s home or business with the intent to steal from the property is a serious offense that potentially qualifies for felony prosecution.
- White collar crimes. The term “white collar crime” is most often applied to crimes that are incredibly damaging to others while typically nonviolent. Most white collar criminal cases revolve around financial crimes such as embezzlement, fraud, securities violations, insider trading, and breaches of fiduciary duties.
- Assault and violent crimes. New Jersey state law prescribes severe penalties for violent offenses like assault and battery, armed robbery, and other actions that result in physical harm to victims. Many of these offenses qualify as felonies and lead to years in prison for convicted defendants.
- Homicide charges. “Homicide” is a blanket term that applies to any incident in which one person takes another person’s life. These offenses can easily lead to the most severe penalties under the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, including life in prison.
- Driving while intoxicated (DWI). New Jersey state law enforces strict penalties for DWI. A convicted DWI driver may face long-lasting complications from this offense, including driver’s license revocation and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Fraud cases. Fraud occurs whenever an individual knowingly presents false information as fact for personal gain. Our firm has handled credit card fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, and many other fraud charges for clients in Essex County, NJ.
What Can an Essex County Criminal Defense Attorney Do for Me?
The legal services your defense team provides will vary depending on the unique details of your case. The criminal justice system of the United States hinges on the concept of “innocent until proven guilty,” and the burden of proving a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt rests on the prosecution in a criminal case. This means it is up to the prosecutors handling your criminal case to prove that you are guilty; you are not necessarily responsible for establishing that you are innocent.
However, while the burden of proof rests on the prosecution, you should not take this to mean you can simply sit back and hope the prosecution’s case falls apart on its own. Your Essex County criminal defense attorney will help you determine the best strategy for approaching your criminal case. Some of the most essential services your defense attorney can provide include:
- Establishing an alibi. If you are charged with a crime you did not commit, your attorney may help you gather exculpatory evidence that establishes an alibi, proving it was not possible for you to commit the offense in question.
- Countering the prosecution’s evidence. The prosecutors handling your case likely have material evidence and witness testimony they intend to leverage against you to prove your guilt. Your attorney can help you present contradictory evidence and testimony that conflicts with the prosecutor’s claims.
- Calling prosecutorial evidence into question. Your defense lawyer will attack any evidence presented by the prosecution, highlighting issues of admissibility or credibility to deteriorate the prosecution’s case at a foundational level. Your attorney may also call the chain of custody into question, exposing any prosecution failures in handling the physical evidence pertinent to your case.
- Expert witness testimony. If your criminal case involves any highly technical details, your attorney may consult outside experts who can provide professional-level testimony regarding these details. For example, engineers, accident reconstruction experts, product designers, and medical experts commonly play pivotal roles in criminal cases in New Jersey.
- Exposing violations of civil or constitutional rights. If you believe the police or the prosecution has violated your civil rights or breached your constitutional protections, your attorney can help you expose these issues and potentially have your charges dismissed in light of them.
If you are charged with any criminal offense that involves physical injury or economic harm to a victim, you could face civil lawsuits from affected parties in addition to criminal charges from the state. For example, if you are arrested for DWI after causing a fatal car accident, the deceased victim’s family could file a wrongful death claim against you. Depending on the nature of your case, you may need defense representation in civil court and criminal court.
No defense attorney can guarantee any particular result in any case, and your legal strategy will likely involve several of these options based on the nature of the charges against you, your criminal record, and the unique details of your case. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, have years of experience handling multifaceted criminal cases, and we maintain flexibility in developing legal strategies for our clients. Rest assured that if you choose our firm to represent you as your Essex County criminal defense lawyers, we will assist you in developing the most robust possible defense against your charges.
Can an Essex County Criminal Lawyer Help When Conviction Is Unavoidable?
Ultimately, conviction is all but a certainty in some criminal cases. If you know you committed a criminal offense and the prosecution has all the evidence they need to ensure your conviction, you may have little room to argue the charges filed against you. However, this does not necessarily mean your situation is hopeless. An experienced Essex County criminal defense attorney can still provide invaluable legal support in this challenging situation through the plea bargaining process.
Plea bargaining is not possible in every criminal case. For example, prosecutors are unlikely to offer a plea agreement to a defendant charged with severe violent offenses or defendants with extensive records of past convictions. However, if a defendant is facing their first offense or if there are other mitigating factors present in a case, the prosecutors may offer a plea deal. In plea bargaining, the prosecution offers reduced charges and/or lowered penalties in exchange for the defendant’s guilty plea. This will conserve court resources and save time for all parties involved when a defendant has little to no room to contest the charges against them.
After arrest and booking, a preliminary arraignment will be scheduled for your case. An arraignment is a formal reading of charges against a defendant from a criminal court judge, and the judge will offer the defendant an opportunity to enter a plea. It’s possible to enter various pleas in a criminal case, including:
- Guilty. The defendant accepts responsibility and admits fault for the offenses in question. The case will then proceed to sentencing.
- Not guilty. The defendant refuses to accept responsibility for the offenses in question and asserts they are innocent of the charges. The case then proceeds to a jury trial, and the defendant must be found guilty by unanimous verdict.
- No contest. This plea indicates that the defendant does not admit fault for the charges against them, but they have no intention of fighting the charges. Therefore, the case will proceed to sentencing, but the defendant could potentially benefit in the future from refusing to admit fault for the incident in question.
FAQs About Essex County Criminal Law
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Essex County Criminal Defense Attorney?
Most private criminal defense attorneys offering representation to clients in Essex County bill their clients by the hour. This means that the more time a defense lawyer must spend working on a client’s case, the more the client pays in legal fees. Before signing a contract for a defense lawyer’s representation, make sure you understand all the terms and conditions of their billing policy so you have some idea of what their legal counsel will cost you.
When Should I See an Essex County Criminal Defense Lawyer?
Ideally, you should obtain legal counsel as soon as possible after an arrest. Once you complete the booking at the police station, you will be permitted to make a few phone calls. While you should inform your immediate family of your situation, you should also contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can handle your case.
How Long Does a Criminal Case Take to Conclude?
The timeline of your criminal case will fluctuate in several ways, depending on the unique details of your case. Some criminal cases wrap up within a few weeks of charges being filed, while others can take several months of protracted courtroom proceedings before a verdict is reached. Your Essex County criminal defense attorney can estimate the time your case will require.
What Happens If I Have Prior Convictions?
In most criminal cases, defendants with records of past criminal convictions face harsher sentencing for their current cases. If you have a history of past convictions and are arrested on another criminal charge, it does not necessarily matter if your past offenses relate to the current offense. Your Essex County criminal defense lawyer will review your criminal record and help you understand if and how past convictions may influence your current case.
Contact an Essex County Criminal Lawyer About Your Case
It’s natural to have many questions after an arrest for any criminal offense in Essex County, NJ. You may feel distressed and isolated when faced with criminal prosecution, but the right defense attorney can have a tremendous positive impact on the outcome of your case. If you are facing any criminal charges in Essex County, a criminal defense lawyer is the best asset to have on your side. The Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, can provide the aggressive and responsive defense counsel you need in this challenging situation.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team. We are available 24 hours a day to receive your call and start working on your case.
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It is imperative to secure legal counsel as soon as possible after an arrest. The sooner you hire an Essex County criminal defense attorney to handle your case, the better your chances will be of preserving exculpatory evidence and navigating your criminal case successfully. If you are ready to discuss your defense with a reliable Essex County criminal defense lawyer, contact the Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, today and schedule your consultation with our team.
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