Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney Services
Being charged with a crime in Lawrenceville can completely upturn your life. Depending on the crime you’re accused of, you could lose your job, your relationships could fall apart, and you may be scared senseless. It’s important to know who you can turn to when you’re facing criminal charges.
At Andersen, Tate & Carr, our award-winning criminal defense division has been representing clients in Lawrenceville for over 30 years. Led by Patrick McDonough and Trinity Hundredmark, our criminal defense team has represented clients from all walks of life, including professional athletes, politicians and everyday citizens.
Finding a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Lawrenceville
When you’re looking for a Lawrenceville criminal defense lawyer to represent you, there are two major criteria you should keep in mind:
- How many cases that are similar to yours that they have taken on, and
- How many of those cases they have gotten positive outcomes for.
We also know that you may not have much time to find the right lawyer to represent you. Remember this: Our attorneys have successfully represented clients who have been charged with a variety of different crimes. Since 1988, our law firm has won many professional awards and accolades for our work, including AVVO top ratings, Super Lawyers Rating, AV Rated Preeminent, and more.
If you have been charged with a crime in the Lawrenceville area, remember one number: 770-822-0900. Call us or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Lawrenceville criminal defense attorney today.
Why It’s Important to Hire a Local Criminal Defense Lawyer in Lawrenceville
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Lawrenceville, you have a few different options for legal representation. You could go to a public defender to save money, but the public defender likely has dozens and dozens of cases to handle. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to give each one the attention it deserves — including yours.
Second, you could hire an attorney from one of those massive law firms you always see TV commercials for. While they do have the manpower to handle hundreds of cases at once, that volume of cases is still a problem.
The third option is to find a lawyer in between these two options. You want a lawyer who has the resources to provide a strong defense, but also knows the local court systems well and can craft a unique defense for your unique case. At Andersen, Tate & Carr, our Lawrenceville criminal defense lawyers have been practicing in Gwinnett County for over 30 years and know the nuances of representing clients in this jurisdiction.
Our criminal defense team is led by Pat McDonough, who is one of the most celebrated criminal defense lawyers in Georgia. He began his career as the youngest serving district attorney in Georgia, and knows the local court system extremely well. With this knowledge, he knows how to approach each case not only based on the evidence, but also based on the judge in whose courtroom the case will be tried.
If your lawyer isn’t intimately familiar with the court system in which your case will be handled, there’s a good chance they may unintentionally step on the toes of the judge, such as using a laptop to take notes when the judge doesn’t like technology in his courtroom. These minor issues can end up taking a toll on the case, and if your case is truly a toss-up, the judge could rule against you for these small mistakes.
What’s more, a criminal defense lawyer who doesn’t know the local courts well may not be familiar with laws and regulations pertaining to your case. In our 30 years representing local citizens facing criminal charges, our Lawrenceville criminal defense attorneys have learned all the nuances of city and county laws and regulations, and how they may affect your case.
Questions to Ask a Lawrenceville Criminal Defense Attorney During Your Free Consultation
When you call Andersen, Tate & Carr, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our experienced Lawrenceville criminal defense lawyers. In order to make sure you are hiring the right attorney, be sure to ask these questions:
1. How long have you been practicing criminal defense law in Lawrenceville?
While you want a criminal defense attorney who has general experience practicing law, you especially want a lawyer who has been practicing specifically in Lawrenceville for at least a few years. That way, the lawyer is intimately familiar with the local court system’s specific rules and preferences.
2. How many times have you represented people charged with crimes similar to my charges in the past five years?
Some law firms will advertise dozens of different types of cases they handle, but in all honesty, they haven’t tried any cases similar to yours in many years. You want a lawyer who has tried cases like yours recently. That way, you know they are up-to-date on current criminal defense strategies and changes in the law.
3. Are you familiar with the prosecutors and other parties in my case?
While it’s not necessary for your lawyer to be tee-time buddies with the prosecutor, they should at least be familiar with them and, hopefully, have a good professional relationship with them. If your lawyer is not familiar with the prosecutor or isn’t on good footing with them, your case could be in jeopardy.
4. Have you ever been investigated by any state bar association, or faced disciplinary action by a bar association?
You want your Lawrenceville criminal defense lawyer’s record to be clean in regards to the state bar association. That means they haven’t faced ethics investigations and are in good standing. If not, they could face an uphill battle in the courtroom when it comes to gaining sympathy.
5. What are the strengths and weaknesses in my case?
After reviewing your case, your lawyer should be able to honestly give you its strengths and weaknesses. For instance, in a DUI case the breathalyzer may not have been calibrated correctly, but your history of DUIs could pose a problem nonetheless. These points are what your lawyer will build their case upon.
6. What are some of the possible outcomes of my case?
No lawyer can say will 100% certainty what the outcome of the case will be. But they can provide the worst-case scenario for your case. In addition, they can provide possible options for pleading down to lesser charges, such as from a felony to a misdemeanor if your case looks like it will return a guilty verdict. This is advantageous to you and the court system, since they don’t have to spend extra time trying your case.
7. How often do you take cases to trial?
You want a lawyer who is able to negotiate and even get charges dropped before it ever goes to trial. But you also want a criminal defense lawyer who sees the inside of the courtroom enough that they have the experience to properly represent you.
8. Will you be representing me, or will I work with someone else?
You want a lawyer who is there with you from day one and has the skills and experience to successfully represent you in court. At many large firms, your case will be handed off to some new attorney looking to cut his or her teeth. You will want to ensure your case gets the full attention and representation it deserves by an experienced Lawrenceville criminal defense attorney.
9. How much will my defense cost?
When it comes to the cost of a defense, it depends on how many resources and man-hours are needed to represent you. Some lawyers may charge a flat fee, while others will charge an hourly rate. In addition, the longer your trial goes on, the more you may need to end up paying. While a lawyer can provide an estimate based on similar cases in the past, that estimate may change due to unforeseen circumstances.
Common Penalties for Crimes in Lawrenceville
Crimes in Georgia are generally divided into three categories: infractions, misdemeanors and felonies. Infractions are the most minor of crimes. They almost exclusively refer to traffic violations, such as running a red light or speeding. However, some traffic violations can be charged as misdemeanors or felonies, depending on the situation.
As a criminal defense firm, we typically deal with misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanors are less serious than felonies. A typical misdemeanor usually carries the penalty of fines up to $1,000 and/or up to a year in jail, plus restitution. Some misdemeanors can be considered “high and aggravated,” such as simple battery against an on-duty police officer. These offenses are penalized with higher fines and/or more jail time.
Common cases we litigate include:
- Shoplifting
- Assault & Battery
- Drug Crimes
- White-Collar Crimes
- And more
Unlike other states, Georgia does not institute “classes” of felonies (Class A felonies, Class B felonies, etc.). Instead, every felony crime has different penalty assigned to it. In some cases, the judge has the power to assign penalties on a case-by-case basis.
At Andersen, Tate & Carr, our Lawrenceville criminal defense lawyers also handle some federal crimes. Many of the federal crimes for which we represent clients include crimes that cross state lines, such as kidnapping that takes a victim from Georgia to Alabama.
According to the US law code, there are five different classifications of federal felonies, lettered A to E. Class A crimes are punished most severely, while Class E crimes are punished less severely. In addition to felonies, there are also three classes of misdemeanors, categorized as classes A, B and C. Typically, federal misdemeanors are federal crimes that require a year or less of incarceration. Most often, federal misdemeanors are general misdemeanors that occur on federal government property.
Why You Should Hire a Lawrenceville Criminal Defense Lawyer from Andersen, Tate & Carr
The criminal defense team at ATC Law Firm is led by Patrick McDonough and Trinity Hundredmark. Together, Mr. McDonough and Mrs. Hundredmark have tried more than 100 jury trials and gotten many other clients favorable outcomes for their cases outside of the courtroom.
Mr. McDonough was a district attorney before he became a criminal defense attorney. He worked with all 48 Georgia’s District Attorney’s Offices, in addition to three U.S. Attorney’s Offices, before he switched sides. Now, he uses that experience to help those who have been charged with crimes get favorable outcomes in their cases, whether that means proving innocence, getting a reduced sentence, or having their record expunged.
Mrs. Hundredmark has attained certifications in Georgia for both DUI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. She is considered one of the top defense attorneys in the Southeast. She has been practicing criminal defense law for over 10 years.
Don’t Face Your Lawrenceville Criminal Charges Alone
When you are arrested for a crime in Lawrenceville, the police, detectives and prosecutors may lead you to believe that your best option is to accept your penalties — and that hiring a lawyer will be more trouble than it’s worth.
DON’T BELIEVE THEM.
An experienced Lawrenceville criminal defense lawyer can evaluate your case and look for any mistakes that the police and others may have made in the case, and fight for a better outcome for your case. Call us at 770-822-0900 or contact us online today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Hurry! The faster you call us, the faster we can start building your case.
Lawrenceville Crime Stats
Lawrenceville is ranked at the 13th spot of the National Crime Index, with the rank 100th as the safest. This means that the city is amongst the most dangerous, not only in the state of Georgia, but in the entire United States. With its crime rate of 3.05%, the likelihood of being involved in violent crimes is 1 in 28. This means that the crime rate is higher than 71% of the entire state of Georgia.
Violent crimes that are commonly committed in the city include:
- armed robbery (43 cases),
- rape (14 cases),
- aggravated assault (35 cases),
- and murder (2 cases).
Another major contributing factor to crimes in Lawrenceville is property crime. At 32.81%, the rate of property crime is 33 per 1,000 individuals. Property crimes committed in the city include motor vehicle theft, burglary, arson, and larceny. The combination of both violent and property crimes makes the overall crime rate in the city higher, thus it is important to know who you can turn to in case you get into trouble.
Gwinett County Crime Statistics
Seek Help from A Criminal Defense Attorney in Lawrenceville
Getting involved in violent crimes can be a very stressful event, not only because it is something that we don’t encounter on a daily basis, but because the police force in Lawrenceville can be aggressive in handling perpetrators of violent crimes. If you are facing criminal charges, contact a criminal defense attorney in Lawrenceville to represent you.
What Differentiates Us from the Competition?
Here at Andersen, Tate & Carr, we are a team. Not only are we a team of experienced Lawrenceville criminal defense attorneys, but we’re also also a full-service legal team. What this means to you? We handle a wide variety of cases, encompassing a range of legal issues from white-collar crimes, to violent crimes, to property crimes, just to name a few.
Our team is equipped to comprehensively and quickly address the diverse issues of a case in one roof. We have a deep knowledge of Georgia law and criminal law in general so that we can provide you with the right legal solutions to your problems. Should you need immediate help, call us at 770-822-0900 or contact us online so that we can provide you with a free consultation.