Under state law, any criminal conviction resulting in imprisonment for a year or longer may be described as a felony. Felony convictions are often offenses that include an element of violence and are deemed to be detrimental for the victims and society. Felonies and misdemeanors are classified based on their severity. Some may fall under first degree, second degree, or third-degree offense. Crimes such as burglary, robbery, rape, murder, and arson generally lead to felonious criminal convictions and are punishable with a prison sentence. On the other hand, criminal convictions that do not amount to the extent of such crimes will likely be classified under misdemeanors or citations. These will reflect on your criminal records.
Under Arizona statute, convicted criminals charged with felonies (convicted felons) have their civil rights revoked. Generally, a convicted felon loses his or her right to vote (and register), to serve on a jury trial, and possession of firearms.
An offender charged with the cases mentioned above will likely face a felony conviction and be subjected to incarceration, fines, and other penalties. Hiring an experienced criminal lawyer is highly advisable to help you with your criminal case. A defense lawyer will help you prove your innocence and avoid being sentenced with unwanted jail time because of false allegations. Aside from the penal implications of being incarcerated, convicted individuals will have a felony record on their criminal history. This will have an effect on any future background check.
Furthermore, your defense attorney may also help reduce your sentence if you have been convicted of a felony offense.
There are three criminal defense tiers that represent phases offering defense opportunities. When dealing with felony charges, these could help you get the best possible outcome (which is, to avoid a conviction):
This involves conducting an investigation, collecting pieces of counter-evidence, filing procedural motions, challenging and seeking inconsistencies in the evidence, and using all options to eliminate pieces of evidence against you. In this phase, it is important to gather any information that will prove to the prosecutor that you have not committed a crime worthy of a misdemeanor conviction nor a felony conviction (and should not be convicted).
If the prosecution and defense have not been able to negotiate a plea agreement or reach an acceptable resolution to the criminal violations, the one charged with the criminal offense will be scheduled for trial in criminal court. His or her criminal defense attorney shall attend conferences, interview witnesses, and ensure that the legal rights of the accused criminals are protected. All these should be done in a reasonable manner and pursuant to the penal code.
Dismissal of charges and avoiding felony convictions will be difficult if there is strong evidence against you. This is why it is important to hire a credible criminal lawyer. Get someone who can make use of the provisions of criminal law to successfully defend you from being convicted of a felony charge. This may also include presenting mitigating circumstances, facts, and other arguments why offenders (if convicted) merit probation, a reduced sentence, or any lower punishment.
If you did not do anything unlawful, seek legal help and make sure you plead not guilty to a felonious crime you did not commit. A criminal attorney may convince the prosecuting counsel and the state court with the evidence gathered during the investigation. Testimonials from witnesses are also crucial for your criminal charges to be dismissed.
Make sure your criminal record is clean. Anyone who has been convicted of a crime before can attest that it is always best to exhaust all options to make sure you are not convicted.
Get someone who will fight for your rights. To avoid being convicted of a felony or for concerns on disenfranchisement, restitution, pardon, or expungement, speak to our experienced criminal defense attorneys. Contact us at the The Law Office of Howard A. Snader, LLC for legal help and assistance.
