Felony Offenses
In Minnesota a felony charge is punishable by fines and imprisonment from a year to life. Such charges can seriously affect your future employability, ability to obtain student loans, service in the military, voting rights, and possession of a firearm. Permanent loss of your liberty can result from the most serious of these crimes. We have successfully represented the interests of clients in virtually all sorts of felony charges including:
- Arson
- Assault
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Fraud
- Theft
- White Collar Crime.
- Drugs
- Sex Crimes
Margoles & Margoles has become well known for vigorous representation in all felony charge areas. The “Craig’s List Killing” is among the most recent murder cases we have handled. Some of our other cases in the area of major felony charges have resulted in unique and precedent setting outcomes.
Felony offenses are the most serious of all criminal charges. Prosecutors aggressively pursue prosecution of these crimes. The defense must be thorough and aggressive. New factors we have not foreseen may be learned, permitting us to develop more creative defense strategies and rules. If the nature of the character, mental health, life history, employment, and family commitments of the accused is known in a clear and documentable way the prosecution and Court may be strongly affected in how it considers the case.
The formal steps in the conduct of felony cases can include:
- Bail Appearance. Sound arguments must be made to positively affect amount of bail and appropriate release conditions. The involvement of a reputable bondsman may be required.
- Arraignment Hearing. This required appearance assures that defendants understand their rights and the nature of the charges against them. At this hearing the first case contact between the defense attorney and the prosecuting attorney takes place.
- Omnibus Hearing: This hearing provides the defense with the opportunity to challenge searches, seizures, confessions, and other evidence obtained by the state and challenge issues of probable cause. Arguments about any violation of constitutional rights are presented at this time.
- Pre-trial Conference. At this hearing there is a formal negotiation between the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney. If that is successful a plea agreement could then be read into the Court record. If no agreement can be reached between the parties a trial date will be set.
- Sentencing. If a conviction or a negotiated plea agreement results from the trial the state will then conduct a pre-sentence investigation to look into the background of the defendant , and make recommendations about how the defendant should be sentenced. If the defense has been thorough there may already be expert evaluations available, which can provide the pre-sentencing investigator (a probation officer) with documented and objective information about the defendant.
Protect Your Future
If you have been charged with a felony, contact a reputable attorney who works exclusively in criminal defense. Do not talk with the police without first contacting an attorney; it is your right to consult with an attorney before that takes place. What you say to the police will not positively affect your case, but rather will be used if possible to convict you of a crime. You will not be successful in convincing the police officer that you are a good person; you will only be contributing to your own prosecution and conviction.
Contact: Margoles & Margoles for a free initial consultation and evaluation of the criminal allegations or charges you are facing.