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Criminal Defense

Being charged with committing a crime can be the most frightening event of your life. The stress you feel may make you think you need to run out and hire the first attorney you can find. Be careful as choosing the right attorney can make all the difference in the world; and usually, you get what you pay for. It is important that when interviewing prospective attorneys, you ask how many cases of your type have they handled? What were the outcomes? What can you expect to happen with your case? Our attorneys will take the time to explain the entire process to you. You will know exactly what to expect, and will be intimately involved in preparing your defense. The more we can educate you, the less stress you are likely to feel, and the closer to normal your life will be while your case is pending. This life is your time. Do not be robbed of its enjoyment.

 

A criminal case usually starts out in either a county General Sessions court or in a city municipal court. These judges are not allowed to accept a guilty pleas to a felony case. If you are charged with a felony they may only provide you with a preliminary hearing to determine if there is probable cause to let the Grand Jury review the case. Typically the grand juries in smaller counties meet every 3 months while in larger metropolitan areas they will meet once a month. If you are indicted, meaning charged, by the grand jury you will have to appear in Circuit Court to be arraigned and then you will be given a new court date to report back. During this time in between court dates, our firm files for discovery to see what proof the officer and the District Attorney has to offer in Court against you. Once the evidence is reviewed and we discuss the case and its merits with our clients then we may enter plea negotiations with the prosecutor .This means we can try and settle or resolve the case. A plea bargain can take a variety of forms. In one instance, the prosecutor may ask that you plead guilty in exchange for his or her promise to recommend to the judge that a particular sentence be imposed. In certain cases, the prosecutor may offer to allow you to plead guilty to a less serious offense than the one with which you are charged. Such a plea reduces the range of sentences the judge may impose. The judge is the only one who can decide what your sentence will be (subject to limits set by law) and all bargains must be approved by the judge. Plea bargaining may continue up to or even during trial.

Successfully resolved misdemeanor and felony criminal cases, including:

  • Homicide
  • Assault
  • Kidnapping
  • Robbery
  • Rape
  • Theft
  • Arson
  • Burglary

  • Trespassing
  • Vandalism
  • Perjury
  • Stalking
  • Harassment
  • Marijuana
  • Cocaine
  • Crack Cocaine Possession

  • Methamphetamine
  • Speeding Tickets
  • Domestic Assault
  • Aggravated Assault
  • Driving Under The Influence
  • DUI With Priors

Non-Jail Sentence

A non-jail sentence may also be imposed, such as a term of probation (for misdemeanors and certain felonies). Plea bargaining often takes place while a case is pending.  Plea bargaining is not about the district attorney “chickening out” or the defendant “copping”. Instead, the plea bargain allows both the prosecution and the defense to mitigate the risk of going to trial but accepting a disposition of the case that is somewhat less favorable that their best case scenario. This option may be what is best for the defendant and sometimes his family and this option will be discussed between each of our clients and the attorney once the case is properly investigated.

 

Whether or not plea bargaining will be entertained by either party depends largely on the strengths and weakness of the case and the up- or down-side potential. From the district attorney’s point of view, there is no sense in offering a low plea if he has overwhelming evidence of a defendant’s guilt. In these cases, it is important to look for small pieces of evidence to help along with pointing out and highlighting the strengths of the defendant’s character.

 

Most cases that make it to trial have issues of fact and could go either way, so a defendant will have a difficult choice if offered a plea. Also, if you are factually innocent the decision to take a plea can be particularly hard, even if the plea is favorable, since it would require you admit guilt. In such cases, you may be permitted to take a Alford plea, which allows you to plea without admitting guilt. Clients often ask us “What can I do to help my case?”. Our general answer is always 1) stay out of trouble and have no new arrests 2) do not violate the terms or conditions of bail such as a positive drug screen 3) do your best to stay employed  and 4) stay in touch with your lawyer and be available at all times to speak with your lawyer and answer questions.

 

We charge a flat fee for criminal cases. This fee is not just pulled from a standard fee schedule, but it is carefully thought through for your specific situation. We will conduct a full phone interview of each client to determine his employment situation, his family situation, previous record, specific facts of each case and which jurisdiction the case is in. Our attorneys take on each case knowing that being in traffic court, drug court, federal court or state court can be a traumatizing event not only for the accused but also their family. We are available to discuss the criminal charges as well as the specific court system you are in.

 

We represent people who are charged in state or federal court for illegal possession of drugs. Haywood County, Fayette County, Madison County and Henderson County Tennessee all lie on Interstate 40 or I-40 as it is known. This section of I-40 has scales for trucks and also is home to several drug interdiction officers with canine units for drug detection. This section of I-40 in Tennessee has a reputation as being a well used interstate path for alleged drug trafficking. If your vehicle is pulled over for investigation, a canine unit may appear and be walked around your car and your car searched. There are important constitutional rights that you have as an American citizen and you may discuss these rights with one of our attorneys if you are charged with a crime in one of these Interstate 40 counties by a Tennessee Highway Patrol Officer. You can typically expect a higher volume of these Tennessee Highway patrol or drug interdiction offices on Interstate 40 during peak travel periods such as the summer, holidays, or the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester Tennessee.

 

If you have been accused of committing a crime contact us to discuss your options. We have represented clients who were charged with crimes in West Tennessee counties such as Haywood County, Shelby County, Tipton County, Madison County, Fayette County, Hardeman County, Crockett County, McNairy County, Weakley County, Henderson County, Chester County, Lauderdale County, Obion County and all Tennessee counties along the Interstate 40 corridor. We have represented clients in Middle Tennessee cities like Nashville Tennessee, Franklin Tennessee and Murfreesboro Tennessee.