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No one wants to be accused of committing a crime, and facing possible jail time. When this happens, you need an advocate in- and out – of the courtroom. The Spodek Law Group is a law firm that is committed to helping individuals who face criminal charges beat them. Our goal is to protect your rights, minimize the impact of the criminal hearing, fight for the best possible case outcome, and prevent convictions from destroying your future.
If you face criminal charges, whether its a misdemeanor or felony, its something which can ruin your world. Your job, your family, and freedom, could be at risk. Bottom line, you should take this seriously. At the Spodek Law Group, we have over 40 years of combined experience handling criminal justice cases. We are prepared to defend our clients in cases throughout New Jersey.
If you, or someone you know, has just been charged with a crime in NJ, it might be important to hire a criminal defense attorney who can help you. The first step in understanding your charges, is by getting a free consultation from a top rated NJ criminal attorney. Don’t put your life in the hands of an attorney whose primary practice is not criminal defense. This could result in life long ramifications – financially, and personally. You want a team of defense lawyers who are experienced, and aggressive, defending you against NJ offenses.
At the Spodek Law Group, we have one of the most largest and experienced criminal defense team. We explore all options you have, and push you into the best solution possible. Most attorneys will ask you to take a plea deal, because it’s easier. In contrast, we fight hard for a dismissal. We understand that a criminal case has a huge emotional impact on your case. We offer a risk free consultation, and are familiar with most New Jersey courts and prosecutors. If you’re in jeopardy, speak to our defense lawyers immediately. Our criminal defense lawyers are quick to protect your rights from the beginning.
We have decades of combined experience representing clients across the country. We pride ourselves on providing the highest level of service, and representation, while keeping fees reasonable and affordable. In addition, we offer flexible payment plans, which means you’ll never have to worry about the cost of legal representation when trying to decide on a criminal defense attorney.
As you research options for legal help, you will likely come across criminal/municipal court defense lawyers. Don’t get sucked in by attorneys who claim they have a “preferential,” treatment or expertise in a specific court. It’s important you do your due diligence, and find the right fit for your legal case. For example, if you have a complex white collar crime, you shouldn’t hire a DWI attorney. If you’ve been arrested, or charged, with a crime or offense, or if you’re under investigation, we will do everything humanly possible to get the best possible outcome. Sometimes, this means going to trial. In many situations, negotiations can lead to a plea bargain if we start EARLY enough. By working early enough, we can make sure we make the best possible defense.
If you’ve been charged with a crime, and are convicted, you could face life-changing consequences. You could incur fines, probation, or jail time. Even after you serve your sentence, you will now have a criminal record that will make it virtually impossible to secure employment. It could even harm your chances of getting an education. This is why you should consider seeking representation from a criminal defense attorney ASAP. Hiring a criminal defense lawyer in NJ can can help you ensure your rights are aggressively defended. The first step to take is scheduling a risk free consultation on how we can help you. When you contact our law firm, we will review your situation in a free, risk free, consultation. If we take on your case, we will begin an investigation to collect evidence, and then build your case. We will not rely ONLY on the investigation done by law enforcement individuals.
Our goal is to eliminate, or reduce, the charges filed against you. Our goal is to get you the most favorable outcome possible. We will review how law enforcement got evidence against you. If any of the evidence against you was illegally obtained, our lawyers will work on having it thrown out. In some cases, it might not be possible to eliminate the charges against you. If that happens, then work towards getting the lightest sentence. In some situations, a plea bargain where you decide to plead guilty for a lighter sentence is the best option. If your case actually goes to trial, we will prepare the most aggressive defense.
After being charged with a crime, you want to seek proper counsel as soon as possible so that you can retain as many of your freedoms as possible. When you meet with an attorney, you’ll discuss the rights that you have and what to expect when you go to trial. Consider a consultation with an attorney in NJ so that you can discuss the evidence against you and a basic plan of action before making the decision to hire someone to represent you in court. During the trial consultation, you’ll usually have just enough time to ask a few of your most important questions so that you can get a general idea of how the attorney will handle your case. Some of the questions that you might have include whether you could go to jail or not and whether you should plead guilty if there is enough evidence against you.
A trial consultation is beneficial if you’ve been charged with a crime or if you’ve been going through an investigation and you want to seek legal help. You can also reach out to an attorney if you’re entering the sentencing phase of your trial in order to minimize the time that you might have to spend in jail. When meeting with an attorney, you can talk about the expertise that the attorney has as you don’t need someone who is new to the game or who doesn’t have experience representing clients in your situation.
If you violate federal law, then you’ll have federal charges against you. This is a time when you need legal assistance as soon as possible because a conviction could result in spending several years in prison and paying thousands of dollars in fines. Agents who investigate federal crimes are usually from the FBI or CIA. Before meeting with an investigator, you can consult with an attorney who can sit with you during the interview so that you know how to answer the questions that are asked and whether or not you should answer a question.
Punishments that you could receive that relate to federal charges are usually more severe than a misdemeanor or a felony. You likely won’t be eligible for parole, but you should keep in mind that some states will release you early if you demonstrate good behavior while in prison. The minimum sentence that is usually attached to federal convictions is 10 years in prison. If you’ve been convicted of murder, then life in prison or the death penalty are usually the only two options available. You could also be sentenced to life in prison for some drug convictions or abuse cases depending on your background and the nature of the crime.
You don’t have to contact an attorney as soon as you’re charged with a crime or receive information about being investigated. You can take all the time that you need to think about your options before contacting an attorney for a consultation. However, you want to contact someone as soon as you can so that a plan can be put in place before you go to court. Your attorney will know how to approach the court system so that your case is handled swiftly and in a professional manner. Keep in mind that delaying contact with an attorney could result in not having someone represent you in court because calendars tend to quickly fill over time. If you are under investigation for federal charges, you want to speak with an attorney who has experience in this field instead of one who handles family situations or general criminal charges due to the possible outcomes of your case.
They work very hard at what they do to give you the best possible outcome. If I ever need legal help or advice I’ll be coming to them! Todd and his team are superb. I highly recommend and respect these wonderful people at Spodek. They go above and beyond to help me everything from zoom calls to an Uber home from court when my phone died! Wonderful people
At Spodek Law Group, we're proud of the team we've assembled available to help you with any criminal defense issue you're facing.
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View All PostsIf a firearm is found in plain view with a vehicle, it’s presumed that it was in the possession of all people in the car. Every person in the car can be charged separately with the crime of the firearm. In an effort to toughen gun laws, many states have created laws enabling police and prosecutors to file illegal gun possession charges as either misdemeanors or felonies. Most criminal gun possession cases are charged as a misdemeanor or felony.
If you’re a former juvenile offender, you might be able to clear your record by having the court record expunged. It can be sealed, or destroyed. Expunged records are treated like they never existed. It means you can tell potential landlords, or employers, or other agencies that you were never arrested. There are many advantages to this.
Does your juvenile record qualify for expunging / sealing
The rules will vary from state to state. Whether or not the record can be expunged in NJ depends on the following variables.
Age: Some states allow for automatic expungement for certain records, regardless of the age. Usually, you have to be an adult to have your record expunged. In most states, it means you be at least 18 years old.
When was the crime committed: Often, a record can’t be sealed until a certain amount of time has passed. For example, you could have a waiting period of 1-2 or even 5 years depending on the type of offense committed.
Seriousness: Most states have restrictions on the type of offenses that are eligible to be expunged. Many states don’t allow you to expunge serious offenses, for example, offenses that would be considered felonies if an adult did it.
How to expunge your juvenile record
Some states automatically seal records at the end of the court proceeding. In most states, you have to file a request with the court and ask for the record to be expunged. The process will vary from state to state, but you usually need to file a petition with the court which handled the case. Some courts will give you instructions that you can complete on your own. Usually, you’ll be required to pay a fee when you file the papers.
In short, a conviction stays on your criminal record forever. There are exceptions though. The only way to remove a criminal conviction from your record is filing a petition for an expungement to the respective NJ court.