Prince George’s County Criminal Lawyer
Do Not Take Criminal Charges Lightly: Go Prepared
If you have been arrested in Prince George’s County, Maryland and go to court without an experienced local criminal defense lawyer, you will be subjected to conditions and occurrences that will make you feel like a common criminal. If you look at a crime map of the county, you will quickly realize why. The County Court is overwhelmed with defendants charged with serious crimes such as car jacking, DUI, theft, homicide, etc., many of whom are repeat offenders.
Unknowingly, you may also forfeit certain rights that are critical to a proper legal defense for your charges. When you arrive in PG County District Court or Circuit Court with a respected well-known local lawyer such as Attorney Omid Azari, however, this will be recognized by the judge and assistant district attorney (ADA) who has been assigned to prosecute you.
It’s not uncommon for people to decide to simply put themselves at the mercy of the court with the expectation that they will be treated fairly because they are scared or do not want to spend money on an attorney. We highly discourage this. Simply put, you need a criminal lawyer who is familiar with state and local law, local judges and prosecutors, and who is familiar with the unique intricacies of the courthouse policies in order to make the process as smooth as possible and get the best possible result for your case.
Avoiding Getting Remanded in Custody
At your first court appearance in PG County Circuit Court, the judge will hear arguments from the prosecutor and the defense attorney as to why or why not a monetary bond should be set, and if so, how much the bond will be. This small piece of the criminal process is largely important. If the judge denies bond, or sets the bond amount so high that you cannot afford to pay it, you will immediately be taken to jail. At these hearings, we fight vigorously with all our experience and influence to convince the judge to release our clients with an Own Recognizance (OR) bond, or set a bond amount that can be paid given our client’s current financial conditions.
If you are denied bond, or are unable to pay the ordered bond, this makes preparing for your hearings and trial more difficult because we have to come to you in jail for preparation. If the judge sets a bond that you can afford but exhausts your financial resources, this disadvantages you because you might not have enough funds left to cover your legal expenses. All the reasons mentioned herein are why this stage of the criminal process it so important.
Achieving the Best Outcome for Your Criminal Case
Once we are retained, our lawyers will immediately and thoroughly dissect the facts of your case. Time is of the essence at this point because we want to know as much as possible about your case before meeting with the ADA assigned to your case. During this stage, we review the discovery evidence given by the prosecution, investigate the alleged crime scene and potential witnesses, review current case law precedents related to your charges, and ultimately develop an opinion as to the best course of action to resolve your case.
If we determine that the evidence is weak, we will present our findings to the prosecution in an attempt to have the charges dismissed or reduced. If there is an agreement to reduce charges, no formal agreement will be made without your consent. If the prosecution will not bargain, then will begin to strategize the best defense for your trial.
Weigh Your Options with a Free, Confidential Legal Consultation
If you’ve been arrested or charged with a crime in Prince George’s County, please do not make the mistake of waiting with the hope it will all go away: it won’t. We do not take criminal charges lightly, and neither should you. Please reach us 24/7 at (301) 362-3300, or email us for a consultation or to schedule an office appointment. We are conveniently located in Laurel, Rockville, and Ellicott City MD. Rest assured that any information provided to us is completely confidential. We look forward to helping you.
