New Jersey Criminal Lawyer for Top Legal Defense
Managing Partner Ron Helmer discusses how to handle a situation when a loved one is serving jail time.
Experienced Representation from Your New Jersey Criminal Law Attorney
In New Jersey, facing any type of crime is a serious matter. All crimes carry the potential for fines and jail time, and having a conviction on your record can negatively impact your life long after you’ve served your sentence. While it may be possible to avoid some—or all—of these consequences depending on the facts of your case, doing so requires help from an experienced New Jersey criminal lawyer.
When you hire a New Jersey defense attorney at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., your attorney will fight to protect you by all means available. Our defense attorneys have centuries of combined experience defending individuals against all types of criminal charges. From raising questions about the prosecution’s evidence to proving that the police violated our clients’ constitutional rights, we use all viable defense strategies, and we take a custom-tailored approach focused on the facts of each individual client’s case.
As a defendant in New Jersey’s criminal justice system, you cannot afford to try to handle your situation on your own. The system is not set up to protect defendants, and if you aren’t intimately familiar with how the system works, you simply will not be able to represent yourself effectively. When you have a prosecutor who knows the system and is doing everything he or she can to secure a conviction, you need a knowledgeable criminal attorney on your side.
Your New Jersey defense attorney at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. will explain everything you need to know, and your attorney will help you make informed decisions every step of the way. Should you testify? Should you consider a plea deal? Which defenses should you assert in court? These are all key questions that require careful decision-making based on a clear and comprehensive defense strategy.
The New Jersey criminal defense law firm of Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., has a skilled and knowledgeable legal team that can provide you with aggressive representation and advocacy at a time when you need it most.
We Handle All Types of Criminal Cases in New Jersey
Your criminal lawyer can assist you in all types of criminal cases and issues, including the following:
- After Arrest Legal Procedure – Following an arrest, you will be subject to certain legal procedures, including a detention hearing. An experienced NJ defense attorney can assist you and advise you of your rights.
- Aggravated Assault – The serious crime of aggravated assault involves an intent to cause bodily injury, typically using a weapon or vehicle, and can result in severe penalties.
- Arson – Arson occurs when you intentionally set a structure or vehicle on fire. A conviction carries serious repercussions, including incarceration, that necessitate the assistance of a NJ criminal lawyer.
- Bail Reform – Bail reform comes to NJ on Jan 1, 2017. If you are arrested and charged on a warrant, you can be held without bail pending a hearing, perhaps as long as five to seven days. This is true even for people with no criminal history or record. Our experienced criminal attorney can assist at the preliminary hearing to facilitate your release from jail or limit the restrictions imposed on you upon your release.
- Child/Domestic Abuse – If you are accused of committing a crime against a child, family member or significant other, you can face serious consequences, such as jail and restraining orders.
- Drug Crimes – In the state of New Jersey, if you possess marijuana, controlled dangerous substances, or other drugs or paraphernalia, you may be subject to significant jail time and loss of your driver’s license.
- Escape – Escaping from or failing to report to a jail, prison, halfway house, police station, or parole office can result in 5 to 10 years in prison. If accused of escape, you will need an aggressive New Jersey criminal defense attorney to represent you.
- Fraud – Some theft offenses, which typically involve lying, cheating, or some type of forgery, are classified as fraud.
- Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity – If a person is not a U.S. citizen, he or she not only faces criminal penalties if convicted of certain crimes -- but also the potential removal from the United States, or deportation.
- Internet Crime - In today's digitally connected, "always on" age, businesses and individuals alike are continually at risk of identity theft, impersonation, account compromises, data theft, online fraud, network intrusions, data breaches, Internet stalking, invasion of privacy, and computer theft.
- Murder/Manslaughter – The crimes of murder and manslaughter can result in a life sentence. Therefore, representation by an exceptionally skilled NJ defense attorney is essential if you are accused of this type of crime.
- Parole/Probation Violations – If you violate the terms of your parole or probation, you can be subject to being held without bail and serving additional jail or prison time.
- Resisting Arrest – If you do not submit to arrest when a law enforcement officer attempts to arrest you, you can commit the crime of resisting arrest, even if your arrest is wrongful.
- Robbery/Burglary – The crimes of robbery and burglary involve taking property without another’s permission and entering someone else’s property in order to commit a crime. If convicted of robbery or burglary, you may serve a lengthy prison sentence.
- Sexual Assault, Megan’s Law, and Other Sex Crimes – Sex crimes not only can result in serious criminal penalties, such as jail or prison time, but also can require you to formally register as a sex offender for several years -- or even for a lifetime. If you are accused of a sex crime, you must enlist the services of an experienced NJ criminal attorney immediately.
- Types of Criminal Offenses – A skilled New Jersey criminal defense attorney can assist you in asserting criminal defenses on your behalf, which include self-defense, alibi, and diminished capacity or insanity. Any of these defenses may be key to dismissing your criminal charges.
- Weapons Offenses – If you unlawfully carry or possess any type of weapon, or use that weapon to harm another, you may be subject to a criminal weapons charge.
- White Collar Crimes - “White collar crime” refers to many different types of crimes. These crimes generally involve allegations of some type of financial misconduct, often through sophisticated means.
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FAQs
How much does a criminal lawyer cost in NJ?
During your initial consultation at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.C., we will discuss our legal fees in detail. Our initial consultations are free, and we offer payment plans as a convenience.
Our fees reflect the complexity of the specific issue at hand. It is also important to note that final fees reflect our strong experience and knowledge in the area of criminal law. What differentiates us is that our team consists of retired law enforcement investigators, as well as prosecutors who can provide unique insight and guidance geared toward reaching the best outcome possible.
When thinking about the cost of hiring a New Jersey defense attorney, it is also essential to consider the costs you will incur if you don’t seek legal representation. From criminal fines to losing your job and suffering harm to your personal reputation, the costs of a conviction can be far greater than the costs of legal representation. While no attorney can guarantee that you won’t be convicted, hiring an experienced attorney is the best thing you can do to protect your finances, your freedom and your future.
What are the potential penalties for criminal offenses in New Jersey?
The potential penalties for criminal offenses in New Jersey depend on the nature and severity of the offense. Broadly, New Jersey’s criminal penalties include fines, jail (or prison) time, probation and community service, among others. Fines can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and jail (or prison) sentences can range from days to decades.
Is it worth hiring a New Jersey defense attorney if I am guilty?
It is worth hiring a New Jersey defense attorney any time you are facing criminal charges. Just as importantly, under no circumstances should you assume that you are guilty. Determining guilt requires an in-depth understanding of all of the relevant facts, and it also requires in-depth knowledge of New Jersey’s criminal laws and the constitutional principles that protect you.
But let’s say that you committed a crime. If you broke the law, can a New Jersey defense attorney still help you? Even in this scenario, there are several ways that an experienced attorney will be able to assist. For example, if the police or prosecutors have violated your constitutional rights (or violate your rights while your case is pending), you may be entitled to have your charges dismissed regardless of the underlying facts. Depending on the circumstances, your attorney may also be able to negotiate a plea deal that keeps you out of jail, or your attorney may be able to help you enroll in a pretrial diversion program that allows you to avoid the consequences of a criminal conviction entirely.
What does it mean if the police violated my constitutional rights in New Jersey?
If the police violated your constitutional rights, this could have a major impact on your criminal case. When you hire a New Jersey criminal lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will carefully assess the implications of the violation and determine how best to proceed.
As a general rule, if the police violate your constitutional rights (i.e., by arresting you without probable cause or interrogating you in custody without reading your Miranda rights), then any evidence they obtain as a result of the violation is inadmissible in court. Of course, this evidence won’t be kept out of your criminal trial automatically. Your lawyer needs to prove that this evidence should be suppressed—and then your lawyer will argue that the prosecution’s remaining evidence is insufficient to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Should I accept a plea deal in New Jersey?
Whether you should accept a plea deal in New Jersey depends on the facts of your criminal case. While negotiating a plea deal might be your best option, it also might not. For example, negotiating a plea deal would not be in your best interests if either: (i) you qualify for one of New Jersey’s pretrial diversion programs; or (ii) you have grounds to fight your criminal charges and have your case dismissed at trial.
An experienced lawyer will be able to help you decide whether to pursue a plea deal. This will involve examining the facts of your case in light of the relevant legal principles and assessing your likelihood of facing a “Guilty” verdict at trial. If it appears likely that you would face a “Guilty” verdict and substantial sentence, then it may be in your best interests to target a plea. But you won’t know this until you discuss your case with an experienced lawyer.
Schedule a Confidential Initial Consultation with a New Jersey Criminal Lawyer
If you have been arrested or are facing a criminal investigation, it is important that you speak with a New Jersey criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a confidential initial consultation. To schedule an appointment as soon as possible, call us at 1-877-435-6371 or send us your contact information online now. Or feel free to call Managing Partner Ron Helmer on his cell at 1-609-685-0665.
