Criminal Defense Attorneys in Arizona
If you get pulled over while traveling to an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game, you may be charged with drunk or impaired driving. You may also face criminal charges if you’re caught with controlled substances while visiting Havasu Falls or if you get into a fight because you tried to get too close to the Grand Canyon. Fortunately, an Arizona criminal defense attorney from The Criminal Defense Firm may be able to help you obtain a favorable outcome in your case.
What Types of Cases Do We Handle?
We will take almost any type of criminal case that a client might bring to us. Therefore, if you are charged with drunk driving, feel free to give us a call today so that we can start crafting a strategy to protect your interests. If you are charged with arson, murder or other violent crimes, you should also strongly consider contacting us as soon as possible. Finally, we will likely be able to help you with any cases involving drug crimes, sexual offenses or offenses involving minors. To learn more about how we may be able to help, feel free to contact our nationwide intake number at 866-603-4540.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Brian J. Kuester
Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA
Amanda Marshall
Former U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Joe Brown
Former U.S. Attorney
& Former District Attorney
Local Counsel
John W. Sellers
Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
Local Counsel
Linda Julin McNamara
Former Chief, DOJ Appeals
Local Counsel
Joanne Fine DeLena
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Aaron L. Wiley
Former Federal Prosecutor
Local Counsel
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Chris Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Kevin M. Sheridan
Former Special Agent (FBI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Dennis A. Wichern
Former Special Agent-in-Charge (DEA)
Why Hire an Attorney to Handle Your Criminal Case?
Ideally, you will hire an attorney the moment that you are charged with a crime. It may also be a good idea to hire legal counsel if you think that you might be charged with a crime at some point in the future. An attorney will likely be able to provide insight into what to expect as the legal process unfolds, and your advocate will also be able to provide insight into what you should or shouldn’t do while an investigation or criminal case is pending.
For example, you will likely be advised to say as little as possible about your case to friends, family members or colleagues. If you are in jail, it’s generally a good idea to refrain from saying anything about your case because other inmates may use that information as leverage in their own cases. It’s also rarely a good idea to talk about your case on social media or other digital platforms as posts, text messages or emails may be intercepted by the government.
Having some idea as to what might happen during the legal process may enable you to better manage your emotions. Having control over your emotions may prevent you from saying too much during an interrogation or accepting a bad plea deal. In many cases, defendants are tricked or misled into making bad decisions simply because they think it’s the easiest way to resolve the matter and return home.
However, the truth is that an attorney may be able to secure bail or take other steps to make your life as easy as possible while a case unfolds. These other steps may include having evidence suppressed in an effort to get charges dropped before trial. If you haven’t been charged with a crime yet, remaining silent may prevent authorities from obtaining sufficient cause to do so.
What the Government Can and Cannot Do During a Criminal Investigation
One of the benefits of hiring our firm specifically is that our attorneys have spent time as federal prosecutors or as members of federal agencies such as the IRS or OIG. This means that we understand what the government may try to do in an effort to obtain a favorable outcome in a given case.
It also means that we know whether what the government is trying to do is legal or not. For instance, anything that you post on social media may be seen by a government official or by others who are connected to government officials. However, authorities cannot put malware inside of your phone, computer or other devices that connect to the internet to learn more about your online activities without a warrant or without your permission.
Therefore, you can feel better about using your phone or laptop for legal purposes while your case is pending. At a minimum, you will likely know whether your computer is being monitored because your attorney will likely know about any warrants that have been issued in your case. There is also a good chance that you will see any warrants issued to search your electronic devices.
In addition, authorities will typically need a warrant to search your car, your backpack or anything else that belongs to you. Exceptions may be made in the event that evidence is left in plain view or is left in a public place. For example, if a gun can be seen in the hallway when a police officer enters your home, it may be seized. If you throw documents in a recycling bin placed on the curb on trash day, authorities may be able to rummage through it without permission.
You Must Be Read Your Rights
A police officer must read your rights when you are taken into custody. Your primary rights are to remain silent and to hire an attorney to help with your case. The moment that you ask for an attorney, all questioning must stop until your advocate can be by your side.
If you are not read your rights prior to being questioned, any statements that you make may be declared inadmissible at trial. However, you should know that anything that you say voluntarily can and almost certainly will be used against you at some point during an investigation or during a trial.
It’s also important to note that your right to remain silent extends through the entire legal process. Ideally, the only person you will talk to is your attorney as anything that you say to this person is generally considered confidential.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I delete information from an electronic device?
You may be tempted to delete text messages from your phone or files from your computer before the government can gain access to them. However, there is no guarantee that this will help because it may be possible to get text message or email records from your phone company or internet service provider (ISP).
Furthermore, you may be subject to an order to preserve records or to otherwise refrain from tampering with anything that the government believes may contain evidence that you have committed a crime. Your Arizona criminal defense attorney may be able to provide more insight into what to do with electronic devices during an active investigation.
What methods might you use to defend me in court?
It may be possible to argue that you never intended to hit anyone or to drive while under the influence of alcohol. It may also be possible to assert that someone who accused you of a crime is mistaken or is lying as part of an effort to extort or otherwise embarrass you.
Procedural issues may also weaken any case that a prosecutor tries to bring against you. For example, if there is reason to believe that the chain of custody was broken after police seized items from your home, it may be possible to prevent the state from using those items as evidence during trial.
What is the beyond a reasonable doubt standard?
In a criminal case, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. To obtain a conviction, the prosecution must present evidence that is strong enough to overcome this presumption. An Arizona criminal defense attorney may create doubt by claiming that an eyewitness wrongly identified you as someone who broke into a home or struck someone while at a bar. It may also be possible to create sufficient doubt by highlighting inconsistencies between what a person said while on the witness stand and what that person said outside of court.
Can I be tried twice for the same crime?
You cannot be tried twice for the same crime by state officials. However, you may still be subject to a civil suit regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. For example, you may be ordered to pay a car accident victim’s medical bills even if you are cleared of vehicular assault or other charges.
Can I appeal a conviction?
Yes, you generally have the right to appeal a guilty verdict to an appellate court. However, you typically must submit an appeal within days of a conviction for it to be heard. Furthermore, the court’s decision will be based solely on the evidence used during your initial trial. Your attorney may submit appeal documents on your behalf and take other steps to help maximize the odds that your case will be overturned. It’s also possible that an appellate judge will send the case back to the trial court for further consideration.
Contact Our Firm Today
If you need an Arizona criminal defense attorney, get in touch by contacting us online. You can also expect to get answers fairly quickly by starting a live chat with us through our website.