Criminal Defense
If you have been charged with a crime, you may find the criminal court proceeding to be stressful, intimidating, and, if you are convicted, you risk losing some of your rights. Whether you have received a citation for a misdemeanor traffic violation or have been arrested and charged with a serious crime, you should discuss your situation with an experienced criminal defense attorney.
At the Loftness Law Offices, P.A., in Shakopee, I am here to answer your questions, protect your rights, and help you reduce or eliminate the potential penalties you could face. Please schedule a free initial consultation with a criminal law defense attorney today by calling 952-641-7485 (local) or 888-553-1258 (toll free). You may also contact my law office online.
I will arrange to meet you at a convenient time and location if you are unable to travel to my office.
My Criminal Defense Practice Areas
I have significant experience negotiating with Minnesota prosecutors and litigating cases in front of a judge or jury. My experience could be invaluable in protecting your future after you have been charged with a crime involving:
- DUI/DWI
- Traffic offenses and driver’s license revocation
- Careless or reckless driving
- Vehicular homicide
- Juvenile offenses and juvenile delinquency
- Drug Charges (possession, intent to distribute, trafficking)
- Assault (including domestic assault)
- Criminal sexual conduct
- Theft and related offenses (fraud, forgery, worthless checks, shoplifting)
- Burglary
- Homicide, manslaughter and other violent crimes
What Can You Expect? The Procedure and Penalties.
After you have been charged with an offense, you should be aware of the court process that is involved. With most criminal court proceedings, you will have at least two or three court appearances:
- First appearance or arraignment: This is the stage where you will formally enter a plea, and bail may be addressed, if it was not set previously.
- Pretrial conference or omnibus hearing: During this stage I can either negotiate a plea agreement or, if an agreement cannot be reached, I may want to bring a motion before trial.
- Jury trial or court trial: Litigating your case will only be necessary if an agreement cannot be reached during the pretrial conference. I will thoroughly prepare a strong defense, during which I will advocate for you, and protect your rights.
The potential penalties you could face depend upon the specific crime with which you were charged. For example, misdemeanor crimes, gross misdemeanor crimes and felonies each have sentencing guidelines that a judge must follow upon conviction (with few exceptions):
- Misdemeanor offenses: Misdemeanors carry the potential for up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine (among other penalties).
- Gross misdemeanor offenses: Gross misdemeanors may result in a jail sentence of up to one year and a $3,000 fine, plus any additional penalties such as probation, loss of a driver’s license, etc.
- Felony offenses: A felony conviction may result in incarceration for over a year in prison, and a substantial fine. You will also lose your privilege to vote while you serve your sentence.
Criminal Appeals
In addition to representing you in your criminal court proceeding, I can also assist you with a criminal court appeal. Whether I handled your case at trial or you are looking for new representation for your appeal, I can help you to explore your post-trial options.
Contact a Shakopee Drug Crimes and DUI Defense Lawyer
From DWI to assault charges, you may have the option of reducing the charges and minimizing the consequences. Contact me online today, or call 952-641-7485 (local) or 888-553-1258 (toll free) for a free initial consultation.
