Defense Against Criminal Charges
When the State of Georgia charges you with a crime, you need an attorney who will dig through every aspect of the State's case against you to find every conceivable method to protect your rights. Achieving the best result in your case requires starting work as soon as possible, whether that is after a person is arrested, or before charges are even filed.
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In almost every situation, the first thing a person accused of a crime should do is stop talking and speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney. People who are falsely accused of crimes, and even people who may have committed a crime, frequently want to explain why they're innocent. But just like they say on TV, "everything you say can and will be used against you." And not just in the ways you think. Police are experts at convincing people to say what the police want them to say and prosecutors are experts at using whatever a person says against them at trial, regardless of how innocent the accused person thinks their words sound. When the phone system in the jail says that your call is being recorded, it's telling the truth. Not only are calls from a person in jail recorded, prosecutors listen to them. Prosecutors find calls that are made using another inmate's PIN, they listen to every minute of lengthy calls, and they listen even when calls start with discussions that are irrelevant to the case.
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An experienced criminal defense attorney will talk to a client about their case without prosecutors or police listening in. The criminal defense attorney and their client will formulate strategies for getting the client out of jail on bond and investigating evidence to help the client.
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Being charged with any crime, from misdemeanors to the most serious felonies, is massively serious and can completely change the course of a person's life. A criminal conviction, even for a misdemeanor offense, can carry serious legal consequences to a person's freedom and rights, including their immigration status, ability to own a gun, concealed carry permit, driver's license, student loan eligibility, and where they are able to live and work.
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Too often, people wait until the last minute to contact an attorney. Contacting a criminal defense attorney early in the process will help your attorney provide the best representation possible. Contact the Kelbaugh Firm today to discuss your case.