Muskogee Misdemeanor Lawyer Protecting Criminal Defendants’ Rights
While misdemeanor charges are less serious than felony charges, they, nevertheless, remain legal charges with significant consequences that can have lasting repercussions in your life.
If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor, take the matter extremely seriously and consult with an experienced Muskogee misdemeanor lawyer today.
Processing Your Misdemeanor Case
In Oklahoma, misdemeanors are prosecuted in Municipal or State Court, and they typically follow a basic outline:
- Investigation – The investigation may come prior to arrest, and it often entails the police wanting you to come down to the station to make a voluntary statement or to clear things up. Now is a good time to hire an attorney. Your rights matter; consult with an experienced Muskogee misdemeanor lawyer before making a statement.
- Arrest and Booking – An arrest occurs when a person is taken into custody, and your booking occurs when he or she is placed in jail. For some misdemeanor charges, however, you may be released and told when to return to court for your arraignment.
- Arraignment – Your arraignment is your initial appearance before the judge. If you have an attorney, he or she can make your appearance on your behalf. The judge will advise you regarding the charges and will ask how you plead; if you plead not guilty, the judge will inform you of your next court appearance.
From here, plea deals can be arranged or the path toward a trial will be set.
The salient fact to remember is that you have certain rights throughout this entire process, and your Muskogee misdemeanor lawyer will aggressively advocate for these rights and the most efficient and positive resolution of your case.
Oklahoma Misdemeanors
Most states separate misdemeanors into classifications that signify the severity of the crime involved.
The state of Oklahoma, however, has no such classification system in place. As such, every misdemeanor conviction can lead to a fine, a jail sentence, or both.
Further, a misdemeanor conviction can mar your permanent record and hinder your career prospects.
While many crimes are classified as misdemeanors in Oklahoma, there are several common misdemeanor charges:
- Battery
- Drug possession
- Vandalism
- Public intoxication
- Unlawful assembly
Your Misdemeanor Charges
Regardless of what you’re charged with or how certain the prosecution is regarding your case, you have specific rights that cannot be denied. This includes the right to due process from your first involvement in the case until its conclusion.
Due process is rooted in the Fifth Amendment, which grants all U.S. citizens the right not to be deprived of life, freedom, or property without both substantive and procedural due process of the law.
Facing Misdemeanor Charges? Consult with an Experienced Muskogee Misdemeanor Lawyer Today
If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor, it is critical to understand that the consequences of a conviction can be surprisingly damaging.
Your best path forward is to work closely with a knowledgeable misdemeanor attorney who will aggressively advocate for your rights and your case’s most advantageous resolution.
Your rights matter, and I have the experience, background, and dedication to fight in support of those rights; please allow me to help.