Mesa Criminal Defense Lawyer

Being charged, or even just investigated, for a crime in Mesa, AZ can be an overwhelming experience. It can feel like the whole system is working against you. Investigators and prosecutors with seemingly unlimited funds dig into all aspects of your life, looking for anything that may tie you to the crime. From your perspective, it seems like anything but a fair fight.

That’s where criminal defense lawyers can help you. It’s our job to even your odds and push back against the overwhelming pressures against you. We can’t guarantee the outcome you are hoping for, but we can make sure that you don’t go down without exhausting every opportunity to avoid the harsh penalties and extralegal consequences that come with a criminal conviction. A good defense aggressively leaves nothing to chance and investigates every part of your case to find a solution. That’s what we do at Ryan Garvey Attorneys.

Criminal Consequences

Whether it is a violent crime or white collar crime, any criminal charge comes with serious consequences. They can disrupt your life in the short term and hinder you in the long run. Even for “less serious” crimes, the consequences of a criminal record can be a burdensome obstacle for the rest of your life. These consequences can be broken down into two categories: legal consequences and extralegal consequences.

Legal Consequences

The legal consequences of criminal convictions are what we all think of as being the penalties for criminal activities. They are things the court levies against the convicted and are carried out by the judicial system. These include: 

• Fines – Most sentencing guidelines include a range of fines that can be imposed
• Probation – This places an array of restrictions upon the convicted and requires regular check-ins with a probation officer. It may be given as an alternative to jail time and can follow up a prison sentence as well.
• Prison or Jail Time – Felonies almost always include prison sentences, as do many repeat misdemeanor offenses. Some first-time misdemeanors may even result in jail time.
• Loss of the Right to Possess a Firearm – Many convictions, particularly for violent crimes and felonies, include a loss of the right to a firearm.

Extralegal Consequences

In addition to the legal consequences, there are social, career, and financial effects that a criminal conviction can cause. These largely stem from the reality of having a criminal record. They include:

• Employment Challenges – A criminal record shows up on background checks that employers run. This could lead to some challenges in finding employment in certain cases.
• Professional License Issues – There are several different professional licenses for which a criminal record can be an automatic disqualification. In other cases, it may not be an automatic disqualification but can make approval less likely.
• College Acceptance – A criminal record is one of the things that a college will look at during their admissions process. Just like with employment, this can lead to not getting accepted in some situations.
• Student Loans – A criminal record may make someone automatically ineligible for several different student loan programs.  Even if they are accepted to a school, getting help with funding may be impossible.
• Damage to Reputation – When people find out that someone is a convicted criminal, they may treat them differently. It could even lead to driving a wedge between family and friends.

What a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Do for You

The consequences of a criminal conviction are severe. Most people desire to do whatever they can to avoid them. Perhaps the most important element in this process is the lawyer who represents you. When you hire a criminal defense lawyer, you get to decide who you want to represent you, not who the state has decided will represent you. You need someone who isn’t overworked and can give your case the attention it deserves.

Your criminal defense lawyer can perform several important functions, starting from before you are even charged. If you know that you’re being investigated, it’s vital that you contact a law firm, like Ryan Garvey Attorneys, as soon as you can. One of the jobs of a lawyer is to see that your rights are protected. This is something they do even before charges are filed, continuing through appeals if needed. Even while you are being investigated, you have rights that need to be protected, and a lawyer can help you see that they aren’t violated, particularly the right to avoid self-incrimination.

If you are actually charged, then your lawyer is responsible for representing you throughout the judicial process. Most importantly, they are responsible for building a defense against the charges and arguing that defense in court. This work involves a significant investigative process that includes things like:

• Gathering facts
• Interviewing witnesses who could have been involved
• Subpoenaing vital documents
• Collecting any other information that may help your case

Even while investigating, your attorney can begin considering a defense. Part of this process may involve research on relevant case law. Another critical component is developing an understanding of what the prosecution is going to argue. It’s important that a defense lawyer think like the prosecutor so they can identify potential weaknesses in their case. It’s even better if, like Ryan Garvey, they are a former prosecutor with a deep knowledge of how the opposition thinks.

If the case goes to trial, your attorney can represent you in the process, making a case on your behalf. They can challenge the prosecution’s case and put forth an aggressive defense for yours. They must be prepared to think quickly and be able to react to any unexpected angle that the prosecution takes. They also need to recognize any small weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and draw the jury’s attention to them.

If the worst happens, and you are found guilty, your attorney can help argue for a lighter sentence. Importantly, they can also help with the appeals process if that is an option as well. You should be able to count on your attorney to advocate for you from the beginning of the process through the verdict and beyond.

What to Do If You’re Arrested

Getting arrested can be a shocking and frightening experience. It’s important, though, that you handle it well. Otherwise, you could make some critical errors that negatively impact your case. There are three things that are essential to preserving your rights and keeping a stronger position to defend from. These are:

1. Call Ryan Garvey Attorneys – Contact us as soon as possible. We are here to help protect your rights and see that you are treated fairly and justly. The only way we can do that is if we are aware of what’s going on.
2. Silence Is Your Friend – You have a right to remain silent, and it’s absolutely critical that you do so until your lawyer is present. Police are trained in a wide array of interrogation techniques and means of soliciting a confession. It’s important to avoid discussion so that you don’t accidentally say something that will later be used against you.
3. Stay Calm – It’s not unreasonable to be upset at the situation if you’re being arrested. Getting upset, though, is only going to make things worse. Staying calm will help prevent you from saying or doing something you may later regret.

Mesa Criminal Defense Lawyers FAQs

Q: What Makes a Good Criminal Defense Lawyer?

A: If you find yourself in need of a Mesa criminal defense lawyer, you want to know that you’ve found a good one. Criminal defense can be a complex process, and doing it well requires a variety of traits. These include:

• Knowledgeable – You want a lawyer who has a depth of knowledge surrounding the law, the defense process, and combating the prosecution. You also want to ensure that they have a real understanding of the specific crime that you are being charged with and all the factors that can impact the way it is approached by the prosecution.
• Experienced – There is no teacher like experience. You want an attorney who has been a part of the full criminal defense process and knows from that experience what to expect. A lawyer with experience in the prosecution, like you can find with Ryan Garvey Attorneys, is even more invaluable, as a strong defense involves thinking like the prosecution.
• Detail-Focused – You can usually tell if a lawyer is detail-minded based on the questions asked. It’s important that they have this kind of mindset, as it can lead to finding the holes and weak points in the prosecution’s case that often are the difference between a guilty and not guilty verdict.
• Creative – While there are standard categories of defense, it’s important for a criminal defense lawyer to think outside those categories if necessary and exhaust all possible defenses.
• Aggressive – There is a lot at stake in criminal cases. The penalties are often severe and can dramatically change the course of a person’s life. With so much on the line, you want a lawyer who can doggedly pursue your defense and an optimal outcome.
• Trustworthy – It’s important that you trust your lawyer. Much depends on the outcome of a criminal case, and you want to make sure that you have no doubts about the person arguing for your defense. You need a lawyer you can trust.

Q: Should I Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer Before My Arrest?

A: If you know that you are being investigated for a crime, it’s critical that you talk with a lawyer as soon as you are aware. You have rights that are applicable to the investigative process, such as the right to remain silent, but if you aren’t careful, you can end up giving those rights away. It’s the job of a criminal defense lawyer to help protect your rights and, if you contact us during the investigative process, we can help do that. Another benefit of contacting a lawyer before an arrest is that it allows them to get an early start on the investigative process.

Q: What Are Some Defenses Against Criminal Charges?

A: There are a wide variety of means by which criminal charges may be challenged. The particular tactics that may be strongest depend on the unique circumstances and evidence available in each case. Generally, defensive strategies may be thought of as taking one of two forms. One approach is to argue for innocence, where the defense attempts to persuade the jury of at least a reasonable doubt regarding whether the defendant committed the crime. These are defenses like an alibi or attacking the prosecution’s evidence and narrative.

The other option involves arguing for a justification or mitigating circumstances. These defenses do not challenge that the action in question occurred. Instead, they argue that circumstances around the action mean that they are not guilty of an actual crime. These defenses include things like entrapment or self-defense.

Q: How Do Statutes of Limitations Work?

A: Statutes of limitations set a time limit after a crime occurs when prosecution for the case must begin. The statute can differ slightly depending on the crime. In Arizona, the statutes of limitations generally are:

• Six Months – Petty offenses
• One Year – Misdemeanors
• Seven Years – Class two through class six felonies

There are some crimes, though, which have no statute of limitations. Any of the following crimes, or any attempt to commit the following crimes, can be tried at any time:

• Homicide
• Violent sexual assault
• Misuse of public money
• Falsifying public records
• Conspiracy to commit homicide that results in death
• Terrorism (includes engaging in, organizing, or soliciting)
• Unlawful use of an infectious biological substance or radiological agent

Get the Defense That You Need

If you’ve been charged with or are being investigated for criminal activity, then a strong defense can make all the difference in your case. If you work with the right criminal defense lawyer, then you may be able to avoid a guilty charge or get a lighter sentence. The outcome of your charges will have a profound effect on the rest of your life. You owe it to yourself to work with someone who can be fully invested in your case. You need a skilled lawyer who can aggressively defend your rights and put together the defense you need. At Ryan Garvey Attorneys, we do everything we can to give our clients a chance at clearing their names. Contact us today so we can review your case.