This is the next post in my series on the handling of misdemeanor cases in Little Rock, Arkansas. My last article discussed defending against misdemeanor trespassing charges. It is important to understand that it is possible to defend against such charges if a defendant was unaware that they were on another’s property without permission. How the Court will rule in any given matter, however, will always depend on the specific facts of the case. It is, therefore, important that you retain an experienced attorney to assist you with presenting your case to the Court. In this article I will address another important topic – the possibility of having to defend cases which involve both felonies and misdemeanors. If you are in need of assistance then contact my office to speak with a criminal defense lawyer.
The public is often unaware of the number of charges which can stem from one transaction. An individual may engage in what they view as a single course of conduct but, at the end of the day, face several different charges. Each of these charges will be prosecuted in one proceeding. If a defendant is convicted on all counts then they may have to serve time for the charges on a consecutive basis. This means that the time must be served for one charge before any time will be counted towards another charge. This could mean a defendant spending a significant amount of time behind bars over what they view as a single event.
The previous concepts are best explained through a hypothetical. Suppose an individual commits a misdemeanor battery against a victim while the two are both leaving a bar. After the battery, the victim calls the police. The defendant is arrested and the police find heroin on his person. Under this scenario, the individual would be charged with a misdemeanor (the battery) and would also be charged with felony drug possession. These charges, again, would be handled in a single criminal proceeding and the accused would face a jury trial. At sentencing, the Judge would have the discretion to run the charges consecutively.
If you are facing both felony and misdemeanor charges then it is vital that you retain an attorney who will protect your interests. I have been protecting the rights of the accused for over twenty years and I take great pride in the level of service which my office provides. This includes promptly responding to emails and making sure your questions are answered as the case moves forward. Contact us online or by telephone today to speak with a Little Rock defense lawyer. We also handle matters in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Springdale, Jonesboro, North Little Rock, Conway, Rogers, Pine Bluff, and throughout the rest of Arkansas.