Fitzgerald Felony Defense Lawyer

A felony is the most serious type of crime, with the highest level of sentencing. It can involve severe damage or harm to other people or property. A felony charge can be the most serious threat to your rights, liberties, freedom and your ability to support yourself and your family. If you are being investigated for or charged with a felony, you need legal representation to give you the best chance of reducing the charge, keeping your freedom and protecting your future.

Cordele Crimes and Punishments

Criminal convictions can result in serious penalties, a prison sentence of a year or more and even the death penalty. If you’re convicted, this criminal record could follow you for the rest of your life. Some examples of felony charges and possible prison sentences include:

• Murder and manslaughter: A life sentence or the death penalty
• Drug-related crimes: Up to thirty years, based on the amount of drugs involved and the intent to traffick the drugs
• Rape: 25 years to life, based on the nature of the crime and the age of victim
• Child molestation: Five to 25 years
• Theft and robbery: One to 25 years, depending on value of the stolen items and whether a deadly weapon was used during the crime
• Aggravated assault: One to 20 years
• Vehicular manslaughter: Three to 15 years
• Obstruction of justice: One to five years
• Shoplifting (items’ value more than $300): One to five years
• D.U.I.: Various sentences are possible, depending on the number of previous D.U.I. convictions and whether an accident occurred, a child was in the vehicle or others were injured or killed.

In addition to prison time, there can also be probation, fines, restitution and loss of legal rights and benefits, including:

• Lost job opportunities
• Loss of driving privileges
• Registration as a sex offender, affecting your reputation, chances of employment and where you can live
• Community service
• Being unable to vote during the sentence
• Being unable to legally own a firearm for life
• Loss of state and federal financial aid to further your education
• Denied admission or expulsion from state colleges and universities for up to a year.

Possible Defenses

With the help of our experienced criminal defense team, you may have at least one and maybe several defenses to the charge. We can help you make the most of your defenses and lessen the risk of a conviction through application of one or more of the following:

• Alibi: The defendant was somewhere else when the crime occurred.
• Claim of right: The defendant has a good faith belief he or she is the owner of the property at issue or is entitled to possessing it, so there was no intent to commit a property crime.
• Consent: The alleged victim agreed to the conduct that occurred.
• Constitutional violation: A court can dismiss a criminal case or suppress evidence based upon a violation of the defendant’s rights under state or federal Constitutions. This can include an illegal search and seizure, violation of the right to counsel or a violation of the Fifth Amendment privilege not to incriminate yourself.
• Credibility of the witnesses: The judge or jury can accept all, some, or none of the testimony of the prosecution’s witnesses when deciding the facts of the case.
• Entrapment: Law enforcement created the alleged crime, got the defendant involved, and their actions are so bad that a conviction should not be allowed.
• Insanity: The defendant admits the crime was committed but cannot be held responsible for it because of his or her mental illness.
• Reasonable doubt: The prosecution has the burden of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt. If there is a reasonable doubt, the case should result in an acquittal.
• Self-defense or defense of others: A person is justified in threatening or using force against another if he or she reasonably believes that the threat or force is needed to defend himself or another against the imminent use of unlawful force.
• Statute of Limitations: If criminal charges were filed too late after the alleged crime took place, they should be dismissed

If you’re being investigated for or charged with a felony in Tifton, McRae, Adel, Ocilla, Sylvester, Nashville, Moultrie, Hazlehurst, Cordele, Ashburn, Douglas, Abbeville or Fitzgerald, you need to protect your freedom, your rights and your ability to support yourself and your family. Given the potential sentences and how they could impact your life, you should obtain the services of our knowledgeable, experienced and supportive criminal defense team. Contact us today.