Defense Lawyer in Brooklyn, NY Explains What To Do If You’re Charged with a Serious Criminal Offense

If you or a family member was charged with a crime in Brooklyn, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you navigate the confusing and often unfriendly legal system. Do not try to fight the criminal justice system alone and never speak to the police or prosecutors about your criminal case without the presence of your attorney.

Why should you refrain from speaking?

Because you could very well make a mistake when explaining where you were at the time of the alleged crime that the police could interpret as an untruth. Another risk is that the police officer talking to you could misremember what you said much later or you could potentially be tricked into saying the wrong things by police who are under no obligation to tell you the truth, according to James Duane, a professor at Virginia’s Regent Law School, who gave a lecture about the risks of talking to police.

It is important to understand that your statements to police could, in combination with faulty eyewitness accounts, questionable “expert” testimony, and sheer bad luck, could result in you being convicted of a serious criminal offense.

These risks are very real and can have life-long consequences. This is why it makes sense to retain the services of a defense attorney with the Bukh Law Firm, PLLC. Our legal team is ready to defend you at every stage of the criminal justice process, from arrest, to investigation, to hearing, and all the way to a jury trial.

Being convicted of a crime could completely alter the path of your entire life and significantly reduce your options, especially if you are convicted of a felony.  

Types of Criminal Laws and Protocols You Need to Be Aware Of in Brooklyn, NY

Criminal Investigations

In some circumstances, an attorney can help before you are even formally charged with a crime. For example, if you are being investigated as a suspect, a lawyer can offer important guidance on what to do and what not to do. Additionally, if you receive a Desk Appearance Ticket, summons, or there is a warrant out for your arrest, a Brooklyn criminal defense attorney can advise you and protect your rights.

Misdemeanors

Even if the crime you are accused of is relatively minor, you need a criminal defense lawyer to defend your Constitutional rights. The consequences of conviction can be far-reaching. You could serve jail time, pay large monetary fines, and have to report a conviction when applying for a job, applying for a home, etc.

Murder and Violent Crime

Being convicted for murder and a violent crime such as burglary, assault, arson, and possession of weapons can have devastating consequences, including a life prison sentence or a multi-decade incarceration. If that was not bad enough, a former convict usually faces major difficulties in finding a job or obtaining housing.

Sex Crimes

As well as lengthy incarceration periods, those convicted of sex crimes are usually added to the Sex Offender Registry – a public register which assigns offenders risk and monitors their movement. You should always seek legal representation, from the moment of accusation to any Sex Offender Registration Act hearing.

Drugs Charges

New York has strict drug crimes including possession, the sale of controlled substances, trafficking, and prescription drug crimes. Whether a person accused of a drug crime is prosecuted depends on:

• What drug was involved.
• How much was involved.
• Whether the accused intended to use or sell the drug.
• Whether firearms were involved.

An attorney experienced in criminal defense is essential. They understand when and how a person or their property can be searched for drugs, and the requirements law enforcement needs to abide by to present drugs as evidence in court. Your attorney can also obtain and examine toxicology reports and defend your character at trial.

Driving Under Influence and Driving While Intoxicated charges

If a person is found with a blood alcohol content above 0.08 percent, you could be charged with a DUI offense and could lose your license.

If you are pulled over for a breathalyzer test, you do have the right to refuse. However, you could become liable for civil administrative penalties such as the suspension of your driving license. A police officer can also request that you provide a blood test or a urine test.

In all situations, you should consult a criminal defense attorney immediately. There are strict procedures law enforcers abide by to obtain these tests. For example, any blood must be drawn by an authorized person.

An experienced lawyer can tell you whether all these procedures have been conducted properly, and potentially challenge the legality of the DUI investigation.’

How a Brooklyn Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help

An experienced and skilled criminal defense attorney can help through the complicated legal process, including:

• Pleadings: whether you admit to the crime or whether you intend to defend.
• Defenses: for example, some defenses to first degree murder include:
  • Extreme emotional disturbance.
  • Self-defense.
  • Mental disease or insanity.
• Mitigating factors: whether any circumstances should be taken into account during conviction and sentencing.

Take Action Today – Contact an Experienced Brooklyn Criminal Defense Attorney

The attorneys with the Bukh Law Firm, PLLC, understand the tremendous pain and daily disruption that is associated with being accused of a crime. With care and concern, our legal team advises our clients of all the options available to them and will guide them through the legal process. What makes our firm unique is that we are not just a group of lawyers, paralegals and law consultants. Instead, we are a professional and cohesive team that is united in meeting the full spectrum of your legal needs.

Our clients are as unique as their individual situations, and we represent every client with integrity, confidence and concern for their best interests. Take action today by contacting our office to schedule an in-person meeting with a member of our legal team.