Aside from sentences, a criminal record may affect various other aspects of a person’s life.
Punta Gorda, FL – There are many consequences of being arrested and charged with a crime in Florida. If the defendant is convicted or agrees to a plea deal, they will have to serve some kind of sentence. However, this can vary greatly based on the specific crime, the person’s prior record, and other surrounding circumstances. Anyone who wants to avoid the most serious consequences of a crime, or possibly see if they can have their charges reduced, dropped, or dismissed, should look into the services of a criminal defense attorney.
Misdemeanors
A misdemeanor is any crime that may be punished with less than one year in jail. Many common crimes such as petit theft, driving under the influence, possession of small amounts marijuana, battery, and trespass are charged as misdemeanors. Although these sentences are not as long as felony cases, there can still be associated fines, probation, loss of a driver’s license, and other conditions that make misdemeanor charges life changing.
Felonies
A felony is a more serious crime that potentially carries at least one year of jail. Some more serious felonies such as murder may cause the defendant the be sentenced to life in prison. Other kinds of common felonies are grand theft, trafficking in drugs, aggravated assault or battery, sex crimes, and attacks on law enforcement officers. Felony convictions may also cause the defendant to lose certain rights and privileges permanently.
Other consequences of a criminal record
Aside from these sentences, a criminal record may affect various other aspects of a person’s life. This can include loss of employment or future job offers, loss of a professional license, an arrest record that can be found online through a background check, and denial of certain other services. For these reasons, a person who has been arrested or convicted may also want to see if they can get their records sealed or expunged. Some attorneys will focus their efforts on this process to help clients get back to their normal lives.
Another possibility of avoiding a criminal record is if the defense lawyer can try various things to get the case dismissed or lesser charges. This may include suppressing relevant evidence, looking for problems with the state’s case, or noticing various procedural errors that were made by the police at the scene.
Help from a local criminal lawyer
Experienced defense attorneys in the Punta Gorda area can assist with all aspects of a criminal case. Robert Foley Law Firm is available to provide more information about any of these issues and other areas of criminal law.
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