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Expertise Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in St. Petersburg
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Criminal Charges Defense

Criminal Charges Lawyer

You may not know what to do if the police contact you while you are being investigated for a crime. Law enforcement officers may contact you if you are a suspect in a case in order to ask you questions prior to an arrest and prior to giving the information to a prosecutor to pursue charges. It is critical to hire an experienced St. Petersburg criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights. You should not assume that there is a clear case against you, even if you have been arrested. Whether you are charged with a sex crime, a gun crime, a drug crime, or any other offense, you should retain legal counsel. At Hanlon Law, we understand that our clients' futures are at stake when they are investigated for or accused of a crime, and we work hard to provide a vigorous defense.

Protecting Your Rights Against the Prosecution

A Florida or federal prosecutor is tasked with proving any charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Although this is a tough burden, you can never be complacent about being accused of a crime. Even if you are not convicted, you can face damage to your reputation. If you are convicted, you may be put in prison for years, and you may not be able to pick up your life where you left off when you get out. You may face lasting harm to your ability to live where you want, pursue the type of educational degree that you choose, and work in your preferred career. You may also be suspected whenever a crime similar to yours occurs in your area.

Determining the right way to fight a charge depends on the circumstances and the elements of the specific crime. For example, if you are being charged with burglary, you may be able to show that you had permission to be in the area of the building where the actions occurred. If you are being charged with drug trafficking, you may be able to show that law enforcement entrapped you into committing a crime that you would not have committed without their inducement. This type of defense is complex and must be handled carefully by an experienced criminal defense attorney in the St. Petersburg area.

In other situations, we may be able to undermine the story being told by the prosecution. In a domestic violence case, for instance, someone may make an accusation based on an improper motive. They may want revenge for the breakdown of a relationship, or they may want to deny the defendant custody of shared children. The prosecution’s case will be much harder to prove if we can show that there are reasons to suspect the accuser of manipulating or distorting the truth.

Similarly, there are many ways for a St. Petersburg criminal defense attorney to defeat criminal charges that are related not to the elements of the specific crime but to the way in which police or prosecutors handled the case. A charge of cannabis trafficking may not survive a motion to suppress evidence of the cannabis that law enforcement officers took from you. Even if the charge is not dismissed outright, getting evidence suppressed may put the defense in a stronger position during plea bargaining, such that the charge can be reduced from trafficking to possession, which carries much less severe penalties.

Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer in St. Petersburg or Surrounding Cities

As soon as you realize that you may be involved in a criminal investigation or accused of a crime, you should seek legal representation, even if you are convinced that you did nothing wrong. We can examine your case from all angles and provide personalized attention. Our founder, Will Hanlon, has been providing criminal defense representation since 1994 and is familiar with the rights accorded to defendants as well as the potential ways to attack the prosecution’s case. You can contact Hanlon Law at 727.289.0222 or via our online form.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
As a practicing attorney, I was shocked to hear that a family member of mine was alleged to have committed a sex crime. Knowing full well the consequences this type of allegation can have on anyone and their future, I immediately reached out to William Hanlon for help. I had every confidence that Mr. Hanlon had the knowledge, expertise, and experience to handle this problem. Approximately 4 weeks from an initial conference with Mr. Hanlon, we received a call with the news that a letter of release was being issued and the case was being dropped. Now my family member can finally exhale, take a deep breath, and go on with his life. Thank you, William! Jerry
★★★★★
Was on the ball. Remembered names, events, places, situations. Never need to re explain the situation. Keeps in touch through out the entire experience and keeps you feeling safe, comforted and protected. Fights hard. Worth every single penny. Would never settle for anything less than Will. Carrie
★★★★★
I was facing a charge that if convicted would carry two years in prison minimally. Not only was he empathetic and listening to what I had to say but he arranged with the prosecutor for my charges not to be filed under terms of a pre trial investigation. Would highly recommend. Alec
★★★★★
I am very happy for what he did for me. Always there when I needed him. Explained everything well. He Fights for his clients. He got me what I needed. Hes an excellent lawyer. Mutaz
★★★★★
Mr. Hanlon did what no other lawyer could do. Not only did he turn my criminal history into a thing of the past so I could move on, he was a loyal associate. No matter how bad the situation is, he has miraculously cleared me on every charge since he became my lawyer 5 years ago. I have the best lawyer that the legal system has to offer. I have had other really good lawyers try to get my business, but I know that no one can do a better job than William Hanlon. Jesse