Rogers & Driver, PSC - Attorneys at Law

Criminal Defense

When it comes to criminal charges, the importance of choosing an experienced and aggressive criminal defense law firm can be the difference between spending time in prison and reduced or dismissed charges.

What does your attorney do?

• Under the law you are entitled to consult with an attorney no matter what you have done. It is important that you seek the advice of legal counsel. Anything you tell your lawyer is protected by the attorney client relationship and no one can make you or your attorney disclose your confidential discussions.
• NEVER TALK TO ANYONE before you consult and attorney if you are a criminal suspect. It is important that you speak with an experienced criminal law attorney about your rights. Many people believe they know their options, but unfortunately forfeit these rights without understanding state and federal constitutional rights before, and after being arrested. It is important to call Rogers & Driver LLP, even before you've been charged, before you plead guilty, or before you accept a resolution due to pressure. State officials have someone protecting them, and so should you.
• Our Criminal Justice system is both frightening and confusing. It’s not a system that you ever want to face unprepared. Laws and procedures related to criminal defense are complicated and require a skilled criminal defense lawyer to properly navigate through the process. Criminal defense is an area of law which requires knowledge of the relevant statutes, case law as well as the ability to work within the criminal justice system with police, judges and prosecutors. If you have been arrested, cited, or are the target of an investigation, hire an attorney NOW. You need an attorney to protect your rights. Rogers & Driver, PSC has the experience to handle your case.

Offenses

The criminal justice system can be confusing and intimidating we defend people charged with all types of crimes. We start out by doing a thorough investigation into the facts of the case, followed by aggressive and persuasive advocacy before the Court. We aggressively seek the best possible outcome in a criminal case — whether it be a reduced charge and a plea agreement, or a trial before a jury or a judge.

Rogers & Driver, PSC has successfully defended the accused against charges for many different offenses such as:

• SEX OFFENSES
  Offenses alleging sexual misconduct are frequently high profile cases. Often the cases involve both adults and juveniles. We have worked with some of the best experts in the country in successfully defending these cases. You run a great risk of conviction if you simply rely upon the presumption of innocence in these cases. We know what it takes to defend you in these kinds of cases.
• JUVENILE OFFENSES
  The juvenile system, when functioning as intended, is designed to provide those under age 18 with an opportunity to turn their lives around and enter adult life without a criminal record. However, if a young person is charged with a juvenile crime and the matter is not handled properly, the consequences can be life changing. We have had experience both prosecuting and defending juvenile cases. We can help you.
• MISDIMEANOR OFFENSES
  These are cases prosecuted in State District Court. They typically involve traffic offenses, disorderly conduct, “bad” checks and minor personal disputes such as assault and threatening behavior. However the consequences can be severe; up to a year in jail.
• FELONY OFFENSES
  These are cases prosecuted in State Circuit Court. They typically involve sex offenses, drug related charges, more serious theft allegations and serious assault all the way up to murder. The consequences can be one in the penitentiary up to life and for capital offenses the death penalty.
• DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
  While these cases are not criminal cases they do allege violence or threat of violence by one party against the other. The consequences of a finding of domestic violence can severely restrict you personal rights including communication with your family and children and the right to possess a firearm.

The juvenile system, when functioning as intended, is designed to provide youthful offenders with an opportunity to turn their lives around and enter adult life without a criminal record. However, if a young person is charged with a juvenile crime and the matter is not handled properly, the consequences can be life changing.

Expungement

An Expungement of your record results in the extraction and isolation of all records on file with any court correctional facility or law enforcement agency. The records that are expunged include complaints, warrants, arrests reports, commitments, criminal history records, fingerprints and your rap sheet.

Contrary to popular belief, your record is not automatically cleared or expunged with the passage of time. Even if you were never found guilty, an arrest is not expunged unless a court grants your Expungement petition. State statutes impose application guidelines and waiting periods for various types of arrests and convictions. The guidelines provide instruction for what can be expunged and set forth certain specific types of offenses that cannot. The guidelines also impose waiting periods that are calculated from the completion of the sentence imposed by the court.

It is important to note that an Expungement does not destroy records; it extracts and isolates the records. Under most circumstances, once an Expungement has been granted those records cannot be disclosed. A person who has been granted an Expungement can respond that he or she has no conviction when asked a question about having a criminal record. Exceptions to this rule include a person seeking a second Expungement, a person seeking a conditional discharge, and a person seeking to obtain employment in law enforcement.