Criminal Defense Attorney in Arkansas
Arkansas is the birthplace of Walmart, which is one of the largest retailers in the world. It is also home of the Crater of Diamonds State Park, where you can actually mine for diamonds without a permit or other strings attached. If you enjoy college sports, you’ll want to attend an Arkansas Razorback football or basketball game. Of course, you’ll also want to make sure that you are on your best behavior if you want to avoid spending time in an Arkansas jail or prison.
Staying Quiet Is a Good Idea
If you are stopped while in your car, approached while at home or otherwise contacted by the police, you have the right to say nothing. In fact, it may be in your best interest to stay quiet as talking might result in giving the government a greater justification for taking you into custody. Although staying quiet may also increase your risk of being charged with a crime, it may also increase your odds of getting the charge dropped for lack of evidence.
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 You Should Hire an Attorney
Hiring an attorney should be among your top priorities after being taken into custody. It should also be a top priority if you know that you’re the target of a criminal investigation but haven’t been charged with anything yet. Having legal counsel by your side makes it easier to organize documents and take other steps to create a coherent defense. It also helps to ensure that you don’t say anything to the media, on social media, or to associates that might undermine your ability to obtain a favorable outcome in your case.
The longer you wait to hire an Arkansas criminal defense attorney, the harder it will likely be to adequately protect your interests. This is because as an investigation progresses, the government is more likely to gather evidence that it can use to justify charging you with a crime or as leverage to negotiate a plea deal. An attorney may be able to have evidence suppressed or take other steps to minimize the damage it might cause. This might be the difference between feeling forced to accept a poor plea deal or having charges dropped before trial.
The attorneys at The Criminal Defense Firm are mostly former federal agents and federal prosecutors. Therefore, they will be able to gain insight from what the government does or doesn’t do during an investigation. For example, if you aren’t charged with a felony, it may mean that there is weakness in the case against you. It may also mean that the government would accept a plea deal that avoids jail time or other serious penalties if you made such an offer.
The Types of Cases Our Firm Handles
Whether you have been charged with tax evasion, drug possession, or larceny, our firm will likely be able to help with your case. The same is likely true if you have been charged with murder, sexual assault, or other crimes that the state is likely to pursue. It’s important to note that you may face both state and federal charges at the same time depending on the circumstances of your case. Let’s take a closer look at some of the more common cases that we handle and how we may defend against them.
Assault and Battery
Assault and battery charges both stem from altercations that you might have with a friend, colleague or a stranger. However, the key difference is that you can be charged with assault even if you don’t touch anyone. If it’s determined that you intentionally put the victim in an imminent apprehension of harm, that may be enough to charge you with this crime. Battery charges are typically levied when you intentionally touch someone without permission and cause harm to a victim.
Drug Possession
State law makes it a felony to possess tangible amounts of most controlled substances such as heroin or cocaine. It is also a crime to possess prescription medication that does not belong to you. In the event that you’re found to be in possession of large amounts of a controlled substance, you may be charged with intent to distribute. The same may be true if authorities discover cash, baggies, or other goods usually used to traffic drugs.
Drunk Driving
If you operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .08%, you may be charged with drunk driving. You could also be charged with DUI if you are under the influence of controlled substances or prescription medication whether it belongs to you or not.
Violent Crimes
Offenses such as murder, armed robbery, and arson are almost always considered to be felonies because they involve a wanton disregard for others. The same is often true of any other crime committed with a gun or cases that involve sexual offenses. If convicted of a felony, you may be sentenced to years or decades in prison. It’s also possible that you’ll be sentenced to death.
How Can We Help?
There are several defenses that we might use to help you obtain a favorable outcome in your case. For example, if you are charged with murder, we may highlight the fact that the murder weapon was never found or that bullets found at the crime scene didn’t match those from the gun allegedly used to commit the crime.
If you are charged with DUI, we may argue that there was no basis for the traffic stop that led to the charge. While authorities have broad discretion to conduct traffic stops, there must be probable cause to do so. The fact that an officer didn’t like that you were out late at night is generally not sufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after I hire an attorney?
After you decide to hire one of our attorneys, the person assigned to your case will take a number of steps to aid in your defense. It’s likely that your Arkansas criminal defense attorney will contact the state to ask for evidence or to gauge the possibility of a plea bargain. Of course, if you don’t want a plea deal, your representative will start the process of preparing for trial. If necessary, your advocate will handle requests for interviews, statements, or public comments regarding the matter.
What penalties might I face if convicted?
If you are convicted of a crime, you may be sentenced to jail or prison time. You may also be ordered to pay a fine, restitution to your victims, and court costs. In lieu of jail or prison time, you may be placed on probation, be ordered to engage in community service, or receive a suspended sentence.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you could also be asked to relinquish a professional license. For example, if you are convicted of using drugs at school, you may lose your teaching license. If you are convicted of a DUI, you may lose your ability to work as a medical professional.
What is probable cause?
Probable cause can be almost anything that would indicate that a crime has been committed or may be committed if authorities don’t take action. For example, if an officer sees your car driving on the wrong side of the road, that officer may initiate a traffic stop. If there is an odor of alcohol coming from your breath, it may be grounds to take you into custody for drunk driving or being drunk in public. Even if there is no probable cause for a search or seizure, a search may be conducted if you give permission for one to occur.
What should I know about the initial consultation?
The initial consultation takes about 15 minutes and is free of charge. Furthermore, there is no obligation to hire us at the end of the consultation. However, we will likely send you a proposal that outlines how we would likely help in your case, who your attorney might be and other information relevant to your proceeding. You do not have to divulge your name, location or any other sensitive information.
It’s worth noting that we will not ask for documents, review the contents of electronic devices or otherwise evaluate any evidence that you might have during the first conversation. If you do decide to hire us, we will schedule a meeting with your attorney where you can talk more about the details of your case.
Contact The Criminal Defense Firm Today for Legal Representation in Arkansas
If you are in need of an Arkansas criminal defense attorney, get in touch with a representative of The Criminal Defense Firm by calling our nationwide intake number at 866-603-4540 or by contacting us online.