Minnesota Criminal Defense Lawyer – Leverson Budke
Minneapolis Criminal Defense Lawyer
Every day, hundreds of Minnesotans go to court to deal with a criminal charge. And every day, hundreds of people plead guilty to those criminal charges without once speaking to a Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer. If you’ve been charged with a crime, we understand that you probably just want to put it behind you and move on with your life. Unfortunately, there are often lingering consequences of which you may be unaware.
If you’ve been charged with a crime call 651-829-3572 for a FREE consultation.
Criminal Defense Lawyer Minneapolis
The attorneys at Leverson Budke, PLLC have a broad range of experience representing clients accused of all sorts of crimes throughout Minnesota. If you’ve been charged with a crime, you need to speak with a skilled Twin Cities attorney as soon as possible. The prosecutors have a significant amount of resources available to them; don’t try to oppose them without an attorney.
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Minnesota
In addition to representing many Minnesotans accused of criminal behavior, the attorneys at Leverson Budke, PLLC regularly teach Criminal Law at Mitchell Hamline College of Law. Contact one of our skilled Twin Cities lawyers for your best defense.
Don’t talk to prosecutors without your own attorney. It’s important to understand that prosecutors have a job to do; and it’s not to look out for your interests. Your situation does not become worse simply because you choose to contact an attorney. And in many cases, it may be your only opportunity to truly understand all of the consequences associated with your charge. If you’ve been charged with a crime, contact the attorneys at Leverson Budke, PLLC at your earliest convenience.
Criminal Defense Attorney in Minneapolis
Don’t be one of the many Minnesotans who go represent themselves or plead guilty to a criminal charge without even speaking to a criminal defense attorney! When you’re facing what are potentially very serious consequences, make sure that you’re fully aware of your rights and the best option for representation before you act. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about hiring a Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer.
Do I Need a Minneapolis Criminal Defense Lawyer?
If you’ve been arrested or are facing criminal charges in the State of Minnesota, you need the help of a criminal defense attorney MN! Regardless of how serious the allegations are that have been made against you, facing criminal charges means that you’re at risk of potentially serious and life-changing consequences. Financial penalties, jail time and having a criminal record will impact your family, relationships and job prospects.
Is Representing Myself in Court an Option?
It’s extremely difficult to competently handle your own criminal case. After all, criminal defense lawyers do study for years to become experts on the subject. If you do choose to represent yourself, you’ll need to spend hours researching laws, learning legal jargon and reviewing past cases. Even if you do a great job of this, your knowledge will only be a pinprick compared to what a qualified criminal defense attorney will know. They’ll also have a thorough understanding of how community pressures impact Minnesota criminal cases and how to work within these to reach the best possible ruling. Criminal law is a large and complex area. Do you want to take the risk of going it alone and facing a less favorable outcome?
What Will a Minneapolis Criminal Defense Lawyer Do for Me?
Hiring a qualified Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer can make a huge difference when it comes to reducing your sentence, gaining a plea bargain or even obtaining a dismissal. By using our knowledge and experience, we’ll represent your best interests, protect your rights and secure the best possible outcome for your case. We’ll even take the time to explain your rights throughout all stages of your proceeding and present you with the best options for defense to make the whole process less stressful on you and your family.
How to Choose the Right Minneapolis Criminal Defense Lawyer
When it comes to choosing the best Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer, first and foremost, it’s important to find someone who’s familiar and experienced with the type of criminal charges you’re facing. Criminal defense lawyers are able to handle a wide range of criminal cases including felonies, misdemeanors and drug charges as well as other state and federal crimes. As such, look for someone with expertise, skills and knowledge that are relevant to your case.
You’ll also gain the most benefit from hiring someone who’s got a skill level that matches your particular case. This means that more serious charges generally require a more experienced, high-profile case criminal defense attorney. On the other hand, less serious charges may be able to be handled by a less experienced criminal defense lawyer.
If possible, most people feel more comfortable when they’ve met with their potential criminal defense lawyer before formally soliciting their help. This will give you the chance to gauge their personality and confidence in their skills. Unless you’ve signed anything, initial consultations aren’t binding agreements. You don’t need to proceed with a particular attorney just because you’ve met with them.
Lastly, because criminal charges, processes, and penalties vary from state to state, it’s important that your attorney is qualified and experienced in your local area. If you were charged with an offense in Minneapolis, seek representation from a Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer.
In addition to representing you as your Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer, some of the things we’ll do to look after your best interests include:
- Becoming familiar with the unique situations of your specific case
- Providing you with an objective perspective of your situation and the most likely outcomes
- Negotiating deals with prosecutors to reduce charges and sentences, if beneficial
- Gathering information from the prosecutions witnesses
- Hiring investigators to look into potentially embellished stories and contradictory facts, if necessary
- Formulate a sentence that’s tailored to your needs to reduce its impact on your life
Should I Talk to The Minneapolis Prosecuting Attorney?
The job of the Minneapolis prosecuting attorney is to represent the other side of your case. This means that they don’t have any need or responsibility to look after your interests. As such, we NEVER advise that you talk to the prosecutor on your own whether you have your own criminal defense attorney or not. The stakes are just too high to risk talking to someone who’s trained to make you say exactly what they want to hear. If you’re worried that refusing to talk to the Minneapolis prosecuting attorney will make you look more guilty regardless of whether you are or not, don’t be. Asking for the legal representation that you’re entitled to be simply the smartest way to look after your own interests. It won’t make the situation any worse! In fact, when you call-in your own Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer is when the situation can begin to improve. They’ll help you to become fully aware of what charges you are facing, the potential consequences and your best path of action.
Questions to Ask a Criminal Defense Lawyer MN
Before choosing a Minnesota criminal defense lawyer to be sure to ask them if they have experience in dealing with cases that are similar to yours. If they do, enquire about the outcomes that they managed to secure for their clients. Have they been able to arrange for plea agreements or a reduction of the initial charges? One sign of a good criminal defense attorney is a strong reputation for favorable client outcomes.
It’s also important to ask them how much of your criminal case they will handle. Some larger Minnesota criminal defense firms use less experienced legal aids and administrators to do much of the work. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it can speed up your proceedings while taking advantage of specialist skills. However, asking will set you up with more reasonable expectations.
During your initial consultation, you may also want to enquire about what sort of strategy they would recommend. Although this might change upon further review of your case, this will give you an idea as to what your options are and what they believe to be a likely outcome.
Be wary of criminal defense lawyers who make promises of any outcome. It can be very difficult to accurately gauge the outcome of your case before it’s begun although some legal representatives will do this to try to secure your business.
Is A Minneapolis Public Defender a Good Option?
Although you may be able to receive a state or government appointed public defender to represent you, it’s always advisable to seek representation from most highly qualified Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer you can afford. The skills, experience and additional time they’ll spend on your case will be invaluable when it comes to securing the best possible outcome.
Your MN Criminal Defense Lawyer
You really should have an MN criminal defense lawyer to represent you, it’s your life. Don’t let things get out of hand. Through years of experience we’ll be able to formulate and present your best defense. Get in contact with us today for a free consultation.
The Process of a Minnesota Criminal Case
Most criminal cases that are charged and heard in the State of Minnesota follow a similar course of proceedings. This includes:
- Pre-charge – If you believe that you are under investigation and might be charged, you can seek pre-charge legal representation. In this situation, your criminal defense lawyer will work to identify what facts the police know or may discover and formulate a plan to deal with your potential defense. The main goal here is to reduce the chance of you being charged in the first place.
- Charge – A formal criminal charge is laid against an individual. If you have not engaged a pre-charge lawyer, this is when you would seek representation.
- Investigation – Once a charge has been laid, your criminal defense attorney can help you to investigate and gather further facts that may help you in your claim. The police often take short-cuts in their processes and this can be valuable in your defense.
- Legal research – Once your Minneapolis criminal defense attorney has built a good picture of your case facts, they’ll then research relevant statutes, laws and past cases to find the best option for defense.
- Pre-trial motions – Your criminal defense lawyer may want to ask the court for help to enforce laws in what’s called a ‘motion’. While there are different reasons to do this, some are forcing the other party to disclose hidden evidence or suppress evidence. Successful pre-trial motions can get a criminal case dismissed.
- Trial – Most criminal trials are heard before a jury. Your criminal defense lawyer and the prosecuting side will both be involved in selecting a jury that is more likely to rule in your favor. At the trial, both sides will be allowed to make opening statements. The prosecutor will then present all evidence that your representative will be able to question in cross-examination. You’ll then be able to present any evidence that you believe will help your defense. Following this, the jury will be given enough time to discuss and reach a verdict of guilty or not guilty. Sometimes the jury won’t be able to reach a unanimous decision. If that happens, the whole process may be repeated until a verdict is reached.
- Sentencing – If you plead guilty or the jury convicts you as guilty, there will be a separate sentencing hearing. Most of these are brief and are determined by the judge with guidance from the Federal or Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines.
- Appeal – If you are convicted of a criminal offense, you do usually have the right to appeal the decision to a higher court in which the process will then be repeated.
Costs to Hire a Good Minneapolis Criminal Defense Lawyer
How much a quality Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer will charge depends on a number of factors. These include their level of experience, reputation, previous case results and the complexity of your case. Because of this, there’s no ‘standard’ cost to hiring a good criminal defense lawyer.
Most Minnesota criminal defense lawyers base their charges on an hourly rate or a flat fee that’s negotiated by arrangement. Generally, hourly rates are the most affordable but do come with the unpredictability of not knowing the overall cost of your legal representation. Some criminal defense lawyers may also require you to pay an upfront retainer fee before they start working on your case. Simply ask about their cost structure before you engage their services. You may even be able to arrange a payment plan that allows you to more easily manage ongoing legal charges.
It’s important to be aware that the legal fees for a good criminal defense usually don’t include any additional costs incurred. This means that you may need to pay more for add-on services such as hiring a private investigator.
Our Minneapolis Criminal Defense Legal Services
Now that you know what a good Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer can do for you and what to expect in the criminal case process, it’s time to reach out for some personalized advice. Our team at Leverson Budke, PLLC are highly knowledgeable and experienced at providing top-level representation to all types of criminal defense cases.
With specialized Minneapolis DWI lawyers as well as attorneys who deal with drug charges, domestic assault and almost any other criminal charge, we can help you to get the best outcome for your case. We can even assist to have your criminal record expunged from public view to allow you to regain some of your lost rights. Regardless of the nature of the criminal offense you’ve been charged with, for the best Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer representation, call us now on 651-829-3572 for your FREE consultation.