In the State of Tennessee, Criminal Charges involve serious crime. They can require jail time, payment of fines or restitution, and can have lasting impacts on your life. If you have been arrested for a criminal charge, your first decision needs to be speaking to an experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer. Attorney Oscar Butler has spent the last 7 years handling exclusively criminal cases and has the experience to get you the best result possible.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE
Criminal Charges
If you have been arrested for a Criminal Charge, you need to call an experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer, like Attorney Oscar A Butler at Butler Law, LLC. During that call, you can expect Oscar to go over the details of your case from the beginning to end.
First, you will discuss what specifically you’re charged with. Common Charges include:
Assault/Domestic Assault
Theft
Possession w/Intent to Manufacture, Sale, or Distribute
Gun Charges
Vandalism
Shoplifting
Fraud
Robbery
Simple Possession
Whether the case is a Felony or Misdemeanor, at Butler Law we know the details are important.
Second, you will discuss the background information from the alleged offense. Where were you? Who were you with? How did law enforcement get involved? This information is critical to guaranteeing all witnesses are discovered and potential evidence is gathered.
Third, you can expect to discuss the potential range of punishments for the specific charge. Depending on whether the charge is a Felony or Misdemeanor, it’s important you understand the potential range of punishment to understand the potential of a negotiated resolution.
Finally, you can expect to discuss some personal information about you and your background. This just allows for us to represent you better as our focus immediately will be separating you from the alleged facts from the officer.
BOND CONDITIONS
When you have been arrested for a crime, you may have certain bond conditions to obey while the case is pending.
Common Bond Conditions:
Upon being released from jail, required to report to pretrial within 72 hours of your release.
Pretrial is a supervising entity that may monitor you while the case is pending. You could also be required to report to a pretrial or probation officer consistently during the case.
Could be required to stay away from the alleged victims or witnesses.
Alcohol & Drug Assessment
Alcohol and Drug Screens
Court Appearances and Possible Resolutions
Your first court date is coming up. What can you expect?
Arraignment
The first court date you will have is called the Arraignment. On that day, the Judge will make sure you are aware of the charges against you, and that you understand you have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney, the Court can appoint one for you.
At Butler Law, we will normally try to waive your arraignment date so that you’re not required to be in Court. We routinely waive this date because we will discuss with you your charges and once we are retained to be your attorney, there is no need to have the Court tell you that you have the right to to an attorney.
This court date is usually very quick and is more about scheduling the next court date.
Other Court Dates and Possible Resolutions
After your arraignment date, the next couple of court dates are usually “Status” dates. On these court dates Attorney Oscar Butler will be discussing and negotiating your case with the Attorney for the State of Tennessee. We will be discussing whether all the evidence has been gathered, whether there are legal issues or personal components that provide leverage, and ultimately possible resolutions. The State will normally make an offer to resolve your case short of having to have a preliminary hearing or jury trial.
At Butler Law, we fight to get you the best result possible. At the end of the day, the decision to accept any offer from the State is yours. Our job is to get the best negotiated resolution, bring that offer to you, and assist you in making an informed decision from there.
There are many possible resolutions in a Criminal case:
Dismissal
Reduction from Felony to Misdemeanor
Reduction in length of jail time or probation.
Dismissal by use of Judicial Diversion
Conviction as charged.
While we cannot guarantee a specific result, our success comes from years of experience and training handling Criminal cases in both General Sessions and Criminal Court. Do not wait any longer, call Butler Law now to get started on your case!
Payment Plans Available
At Butler Law, we understand that legal representation is a financial investment. We provide interest free payment plan options to help with the investment. We want to work with you, and we don’t want finances to get in the way.
Referral Network
If Butler Law can’t handle your case or request, our referral network is full of law firms who may be able to assist. Contact us today so we can get you in contact with the Attorney best suited to handle your case.
Free Consultation
Reach out today for a completely free consultation. You can call, email us, or fill out this online inquiry. Once you have submitted the requested information, we will contact you to schedule a time to discuss your legal needs. We look forward to hearing from you soon!