FAQ's
Q: What are the potential penalties for my alleged crime?
A: Indiana law provides different penalties for different types of offenses, divided into felonies and misdemeanors. Their penalties are:
Murder: 45-65 years in state prison, $10,000 fine
Class A Felony: 20-50 years in state prison, $10,000 fine
Class B Felony: 6-20 years in state prison, $10,000 fine
Class C Felony: 2-8 years in state prison, $10, 000 fine
Class D Felony: 6 months-3 years in state prison, $10,000 fine
Class A Misdemeanor: 0-365 days in county jail, $5,000 fine
Class B Misdemeanor: 0-180 days in county jail, $1,000 fine
Class C Misdemeanor: 0-60 days in county jail, $500 fine
There may be additional penalties, too, such as restitution to any victims, or suspension of your driving privileges.
Q: If I can’t afford an attorney, will I get one for free?
A: Under the constitutions of the United States and the State of Indiana, you are entitled to an attorney at no cost to yourself at every stage of a criminal proceeding. Attorneys that are appointed to represent you under those circumstances are referred to as “Public Defenders.” There is nothing wrong with using a Public Defender, but you need to be aware that any Public Defender may be working on up to one hundred other cases in addition to yours. This means that you may have difficulty in speaking with your attorney outside of court settings, and important information that you need to pass along may not reach your attorney. Being charged with a criminal offense may result in the loss of your liberty, and you should make a rational decision about who to hire, rather than going with the cheapest option. “You get what you pay for” is very important to remember when talking about your freedom.
Q: How much do you charge?
A: I divide your case into three stages, each with its own specific fee for a set amount of work. The reason that I do this is to allow you to decide how much you want to spend on your own defense. The three stages of any representation are the Plea Bargain Stage, where we review the State’s evidence to determine where we may argue your defense and negotiate with the prosecutor to trade a plea of guilty in exchange for an agreed upon penalty; the Bench Trial and Suppression Stage, where we seek to have certain evidence that the State is relying upon excluded from trial and we conduct a bench trial, which is the type of trial where just the judge hears the evidence and just the judge makes a determination of guilt or innocence; and the Jury Trial Stage, where we submit the facts of your case to a jury for determination of guilt or innocence. Juries may be composed of six to twelve members, depending on the type of offense. The type of crime you are accused of committing affects how much we would charge four our services. I would encourage you to contact me so that we can discuss your case, and determine what the appropriate fee for our services would be.
Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
A: I accept cash, money order, certified checks, personal checks, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. I can also work out a payment plan for you, if necessary.
Q: Do you take all types of criminal cases?
A: Yes. I can represent you on any felony or misdemeanor charge that you have been accused of committing.