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criminal convictions long term consequences charged crime dui assault property crime embezzlement petty theft worries jail time possible punishments penalties may just criminal charges serious offense person charged crime may facing consequences affect life ndash permanently pressing concern fear separated family loved ones ways defendant permanently affected vary greatly example criminal defendant may lose job professional license extreme may sound states automatically revoke plumber rsquo license certain offenses addition conviction crimes drunk driving result license suspension criminal defendants may unable suitable employment future due criminal record appears background checks performed potential employer criminal defendant legal resident naturalized conviction result deportation denial citizenship regardless crime long lasting consequences criminal conviction exceed mere fine jail sentence possible sentences crimes vary depending nature severity crime drunk driving example lead sentences years second third subsequent offenses drunk driving offenses lead mandatory minimum jail sentences days subsequent dui enhance punishment property crime white collar crimes theft fraud securing documents deception lead jail time just criminal offense defendants ponzi schemes mortgage fraud cases receiving stiff prison sentences historically resulted probated sentences economic turmoil state federal jurisdictions cracked white collar crime ndash accused ldquo leader rdquo instigator criminal scheme crimes considered violent assault sexual assault domestic violence may result jail sentences registration requirements simple misdemeanor assaults warrant jail time offense deemed felony violent offense violent nature offense enhance sentence computed served example criminal defendant prosecuted federally violent nature offense ldquo add points rdquo sentence means serving longer sentence states apply different parole rules violent offenders criminals ndash drug dealer sex offender ndash receive sentence date drug dealer paroled earlier date offense classified violent classifications difference wording final judgment significant impact severity defendant rsquo sentence crimes warrant expense legal counsel general criminal charge best handled attorney experienced criminal lawyer familiar court procedures recognize possible defenses based particular facts criminal case circumstances good criminal attorney may able charges reduced dismissed happen evidence conviction evidence support good defense example criminal defendant engaged consensual sex teenage girl charged statutory rape states allow defendant claim affirmative defense criminal defendant years older victim affirmative defense means criminal defendant guilty defense true rsquo important note criminal defendant disclose affirmative defense entering plea forever waive right defense experienced criminal attorney review technical aspects evidence seized evidence may sufficient convict criminal defendant due way obtained law enforcement ruled inadmissible presiding judge common search seizure cases example stopped state trooper decides search vehicle fails obtain consent good exception search illegal items evidence thrown mean evidence left warrant conviction common example police obtain search warrant search house property state technical requirements considered valid search warrant warrant affidavit warrant meet state rsquo requirements evidence gathered search founded warrant suppressed thrown evidence case dismissed similar affirmative defenses bring issues enter plea guilty contest waive valuable rights short vital criminal defendant seek advice experienced criminal defense attorney resolving ldquo plea rdquo criminal case defendants lured accepting plea bargains promises ldquo time served rdquo ldquo rsquo jail today rdquo criminal defendant jail conviction consequences years come experienced criminal attorney review paperwork sufficiency evidence punishment options potential defenses aside time really look facts case jail cards criminal case handled plea prevent criminal conviction bankrupting future educational employment options case evaluation experienced criminal defense attorney case evaluated experienced criminal defense attorney obligation sponsored form name current address select state alaska alabama arkansas arizona california colorado connecticut delaware district columbia florida georgia hawaii idaho illinois indiana iowa kansas kentucky louisiana maine maryland massachusetts michigan minnesota mississippi missouri montana north carolina north dakota nebraska nevada hampshire jersey mexico york ohio oklahoma oregon pennsylvania rhode island south carolina south dakota tennessee texas utah vermont virginia washington west virginia wisconsin wyoming main phone number alternate phone optional email address alleged crime type crime allegedly committed drug related crime children property crime sex crime traffic ticket dui dwi assault violent crime white collar crime charges criminal charges filed prior dui alleged crime dui dwi prior dui conviction problem briefly describe problem optional year current year block spam red bar complete short form right criminal law contains articles faqs attorney interviews videos featured criminal law video hire lawyer dui charge charged dui dwi think hey handle look messed deal hellip watch video filed drunk driving newest articles faqs amp interviews criminal lawwhat involuntary manslaughter requirements dui checkpointwhat happens refuse blood alcohol testing borrow property change mind decide return property owner charged theft crime stopped officer asks drinking say criminal law questions question class misdemeanor theft charge conviction record sealed able work daycare details read entire question answer question answer job application asked misdemeanor convictions ifmy charge initially misdemeanor got reduced infraction details read entire question answer ask attorney question select topic 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Criminal Law Lawyers Attorneys Free Legal Information Free Advice Law Advice Insurance Advice Community Law Advice Free Case Evaluation Ask a Lawyer Q amp A Legal Topics All Legal Topics Accident Law Bankruptcy Law Business Law Criminal Law Employment Labor Law Estate Planning Family Law Financial Law General Practice Government Law Immigration Law Insurance Law Intellectual Property Litigation Malpractice Law Personal Injury Real Estate Law Tax Law Small Claims Admiralty Maritime Aviation Law Criminal Law Topics All Criminal Law Topics Criminal Law BasicsArrests And SearchesDrug CrimesDrunk DrivingState Marijuana Laws Parole ProbationViolent CrimesWhite Collar Crimes Property CrimesJuvenile Law Criminal Law Criminal Law Criminal Law Topics Select a Topic raquo Criminal Law BasicsArrests And SearchesDrug CrimesDrunk DrivingState Marijuana Laws Parole ProbationViolent CrimesWhite Collar Crimes Property CrimesJuvenile Law Free Case Evaluation Get a FREE Case Evaluation From An Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney Free Advice Law Advice Criminal Law Criminal Law Information Criminal convictions have long term consequences For someone who has been charged with a crime whether a DUI assault or a property crime like embezzlement or petty theft worries about jail time and possible punishments and penalties may be just the beginning Criminal charges are serious and even with a first offense a person charged with a crime may be facing consequences that can affect their life ndash permanently While the most pressing concern is often fear of being separated from family or loved ones the ways a defendant can be permanently affected vary greatly For example a criminal defendant may lose their job or even their professional license As extreme as it may sound some states automatically revoke a plumber rsquo s license for certain offenses In addition conviction for some crimes such as drunk driving can result in driver's license suspension Some criminal defendants may be unable to find suitable employment in the future due to a criminal record that appears in background checks performed by a potential employer If a criminal defendant is not a legal U S resident or has not yet been naturalized any conviction could result in deportation or denial of citizenship Regardless of the crime the long lasting consequences of a criminal conviction often exceed a mere fine and jail sentence Possible sentences for crimes vary depending on the nature and severity of the crime Drunk driving for example can lead to sentences of up to ten or more years for second third and subsequent offenses Even first drunk driving offenses can lead to mandatory minimum jail sentences of days Every subsequent DUI can and likely will be used to enhance the punishment for the next Property crime and white collar crimes such as theft by fraud or securing documents by deception can lead to jail time just like any other criminal offense Defendants in ponzi schemes and mortgage fraud cases have been receiving stiff prison sentences although historically they have resulted in probated sentences Because of recent economic turmoil many state and federal jurisdictions have cracked down on white collar crime ndash even when the accused was not the ldquo leader rdquo or instigator of the criminal scheme Crimes that are considered violent like assault sexual assault and domestic violence may also result in jail sentences and other registration requirements Even simple misdemeanor assaults can warrant jail time However if the offense is deemed a felony and a violent offense the violent nature of the offense will likely enhance how a sentence is computed or served For example if a criminal defendant is prosecuted federally the violent nature of the offense will ldquo add points rdquo to their sentence which means they will be serving a longer sentence States apply different parole rules to violent offenders If two criminals ndash a drug dealer and a sex offender ndash receive the same sentence on the same date the drug dealer is more likely to be paroled at an earlier date because his offense alone is not classified as violent Such classifications make a difference the wording used in a final judgment can have significant impact on the severity of a defendant rsquo s sentence While not all crimes warrant the expense of legal counsel in general any criminal charge is best handled by an attorney An experienced criminal lawyer is familiar with court procedures and will recognize possible defenses based on the particular facts of a criminal case In some circumstances a good criminal attorney may be able to get charges reduced or even dismissed This can happen when there is not enough evidence for a conviction or when there is enough evidence to support a good defense For example if a criminal defendant engaged in consensual sex with a teenage girl and was charged with statutory rape some states will allow a defendant to claim an affirmative defense if the criminal defendant is not more than years older than the victim An affirmative defense means that a criminal defendant will be found not guilty if the defense is true It rsquo s important to note however that if a criminal defendant does not disclose an affirmative defense before entering their plea they forever waive the right to that defense An experienced criminal attorney can also review the more technical aspects of how evidence was seized Evidence may be sufficient to convict a criminal defendant but due to the way it was obtained by law enforcement it could be ruled inadmissible by the presiding judge This is common in search and seizure cases For example if you are stopped by a state trooper and he decides to search your vehicle if he fails to obtain your consent and there is not a good exception the search is illegal and any items of evidence that would have been used against you are thrown out This would mean there is no evidence left against you to warrant a conviction Another common example is when the police obtain a search warrant to search your house or property Every state has very technical requirements for what is considered a valid search warrant If the warrant or the affidavit for the warrant does not meet your state rsquo s requirements any evidence gathered during a search founded by that warrant will be suppressed or thrown out If there is no evidence against you your case will be dismissed Similar to affirmative defenses if you do not bring up these issues before you enter a plea of guilty or no contest you waive valuable rights In short it is vital that any criminal defendant seek the advice of an experienced criminal defense attorney before resolving or ldquo taking a plea rdquo on their criminal case Many defendants are lured into accepting plea bargains with promises of ldquo time served rdquo and ldquo you rsquo ll get out of jail today rdquo Even if a criminal defendant does get out of jail the conviction and its consequences will last for years to come An experienced criminal attorney can help review paperwork sufficiency of evidence punishment options and potential defenses Aside from taking the time to really look at the facts of the case there are few get out of jail free cards How a criminal case is handled before and during a plea can prevent a criminal conviction from bankrupting future educational and employment options Get a Free Case Evaluation From An Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney Have your case evaluated by an EXPERIENCED CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY It's free and there is no obligation Sponsored Form Name Current Address Select Your State Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Main Phone Number Alternate Phone optional Email Address Alleged Crime What type of crime was allegedly committed Drug Related Crime Against Children Property Crime Sex crime Traffic Ticket DUI DWI Assault Violent crime White Collar Crime Other Charges Have criminal charges been filed against you Yes No Prior DUI If alleged crime is DUI DWI do you have a prior DUI conviction Yes No Problem Briefly describe your problem optional Year What is the current year Used to block spam Click the red bar and complete a short form to get help right now Criminal Law contains Articles FAQs Attorney Interviews Videos Featured Criminal Law Video Should I Hire a Lawyer for a DUI Charge If you ve been charged with a DUI or DWI you might think Hey I can handle this myself or Look I messed up so let me deal with this on my own What you hellip watch video filed under Drunk Driving Newest Articles FAQs amp Interviews in Criminal LawWhat is involuntary manslaughter Requirements for a DUI CheckpointWhat happens if you refuse blood alcohol testing What if I borrow property and then change my mind and decide not to return the property to the owner can I be charged with a theft crime If I am stopped and the officer asks me if I've been drinking what should I say Recent Criminal Law Questions Question If I have a Class B misdemeanor theft charge but there is no conviction on my record since it has been sealed am I able to work at a daycare Details Read Entire Question and Answer Question Do I answer yes on a job application if I'm asked for misdemeanor convictions ifmy charge was initially a misdemeanor but got reduced to an infraction Details Read Entire Question and Answer Ask an Attorney Your Question Now Select a Topic Criminal Law BasicsArrests And SearchesDrug CrimesDrunk DrivingState Marijuana Laws Parole ProbationViolent CrimesWhite Collar Crimes Property CrimesJuvenile Law Select An Area of Law Accident LawBankruptcy LawBusiness LawCriminal LawEmployment Labor LawEstate PlanningFamily LawFinancial LawGeneral PracticeGovernment LawImmigration LawInsurance LawIntellectual PropertyLitigationMalpractice LawPersonal InjuryReal Estate LawTax LawSmall ClaimsAdmiralty MaritimeAviation LawLawyer Marketing Select Practice Area Adoption Support amp Child Custody Arbitration Aviation Maritime amp Boat Accident Banking Bankruptcy Business Car Accident Civil Rights amp ADA Collection Construction Contract Copyright IP amp Trademark Criminal DUI DWI Divorce Education Law Elder Law Employment Environmental Estate Planning Franchise General Practice Government Healthcare Nursing Home Abuse Immigration Insurance International Juvenile Landlord Tenant Legal Malpractice Lemon Law Libel amp Slander Litigation Medical Malpractice Military PatentPensions amp Benefit Personal Injury Product Liability Railroad Accident Real Estate Securities Sexual Harassment Small Claims Social Security Disability Sports amp Entertainment Tax Technology amp Internet Wills amp Probate Worker Compensation Wrongful Death Other Topics Select State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas US Virgin Islands Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming