Columbia, MD Criminal Defense Attorney

Aggressive Criminal Defense Lawyer Defending Clients in Columbia, MD

The moment you are handcuffed, you can feel like you have already been found guilty of a crime. Police officers tend to act as though they have proven your guilt even before they formally arrest you. Standing in front of a judge wearing the clothes you were forced to change into in jail can be intimidating. Even if you are not coming from jail and are wearing your own clothes, appearing in court when you are accused of a crime is not a pleasant experience. The consequences of a criminal charge begin taking affect long before you ever have a chance to put forth a legal defense.

Diamant Gerstein, LLC will do all it can to give you the best criminal defense possible. Our experienced and knowledgeable Columbia, MD criminal defense lawyers will start with a thorough review of your case to see if we have any grounds for asking for your case dismissed. We will analyze the circumstances of your arrest to see if the police violated your rights at any point. If the police conducted an illegal traffic stop, for example, any evidence gathered during the stop can likely be excluded, which often means there is not enough evidence left to successfully prosecute you.

DUI and Traffic Crime Lawyers

DUI is widely considered the most serious of the traffic offenses. One of the greatest challenges people accused of DUI face is the loss of driving privileges. Unlike most traffic crimes, drunk driving can be charged as a felony under some circumstances. Repeated DUIs can lead to long prison sentences. Fortunately, there are a lot of possible defenses to DUI.

Field sobriety tests are often used as probable cause to make an arrest. However, these tests are often drastically unfair. If you were asked to take the tests on a slippery surface, while wearing high heels, or in strong winds, you may have a defense based on the fact that you were at a disadvantage.

Other traffic crimes, like reckless driving or driving without a license, are usually less serious than a DUI. However, it is still important to take these charges seriously. A conviction would still appear on a background check, and may affect your driving privileges.

Assault and Domestic Violence Attorney

In most states, assault and domestic violence are two different charges, with domestic violence being considered more serious. In Maryland, however, there is no specific criminal statute for domestic violence. Assaults against people you have a domestic relationship with are prosecuted like normal assaults, but are flagged by the courts.

Courts are more inclined to use harsher sentencing against people who have committed assault against a family or household member, or a current or former romantic partner. Assaults against anyone are taken seriously. The offense carries up to ten years in prison when it is charged as a misdemeanor, or up to 25 years if it is charged as a felony.

Assault is considered a felony if the victim is seriously injured, if the offender tried to cause serious injury, or if the offender used a firearm, even if the gun was never fired.

Your freedom is in jeopardy if you are facing assault charges. Being represented by a lawyer is essential. There is a lot an attorney can do to protect you, from asserting an affirmative defense like self-defense to casting doubt on the alleged victim's story through careful questioning. Having an attorney there to protect your rights in real time can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.

Contact a Columbia, MD Criminal Defense Lawyer

Diamant Gerstein, LLC is available to help you 24/7. Our skilled Columbia, MD criminal defense lawyer will do all we can to protect your rights and keep you free. Contact us at 301-560-2685 for a confidential consultation.