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205-981-2450
Shelby County, Alabama is named for Isaac Shelby, a Revolutionary War hero and the first governor of Kentucky. The county was formed by the Alabama Territorial General Assembly in 1818 and is the geographic center of the state. Shelby County is one of the wealthiest counties in Alabama, is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area, and also includes the cities of Montevallo, Pelham, and Childersburg.
Shelby County is home to almost 200,000 Alabamians and continues to grow in population, in no small part due to its excellent school system and proximity to Birmingham, Alabama’s largest city.
Whether you have already been arrested, or think you may be visited by the police, it is a good idea to speak with a legal professional. The time before the state files criminal charges can be used by your attorney to gather information and formulate a defense plan to preserve your rights.
During a preliminary investigation, the authorities will be speaking with witnesses and victims to try to marshal the evidence they need to get a conviction, so you want a defense lawyer doing the same thing for you.
The District Attorney (DA) is employed by the state of Alabama to convict the people who are accused of crimes and put them in jail. You want a dedicated and experienced attorney who can combat the DA and make sure that your side of the story is heard at trial.
A Shelby County criminal defense lawyer ensures that you are able to defend yourself in the most expedient and persuasive manner possible so that you can move past the incident and get on with your life.
We pride ourselves on our reputation as a criminal defense firm that is out to protect the rights of all Alabamians. Our pursuit of that goal has allowed us to help clients charged with all manner of crimes – from drug offenses to theft crimes.
Our attorneys believe in aggressive representation and personalized client services, and we want to provide you with those same services. We know how serious criminal proceedings are, and because of that knowledge, we are determined to protect the rights of every client to the fullest extent that Alabama’s laws allow.
Our office is located at 850 Corporate Parkway, Suite 114 in Birmingham and is easily accessible from Shelby County. From I-65, take exit 250 onto I-459 North towards Atlanta. Next take 19 onto US-280 East and turn right onto Corporate Parkway. You will see our office on the right.
In Shelby County and the rest of the state of Alabama, misdemeanors are classified according to severity. Misdemeanors include any offense that is punishable by less than one year in jail.
For individuals who are accused of committing a misdemeanor, it is often a wise idea to consult with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who understands the various laws regarding misdemeanors and the potential penalties that can result from such a charge.
There are also some important facts that individuals should understand regarding misdemeanors in Shelby County and the rest of Alabama.
There are some substantial differences between felony and misdemeanor charges. Felony charges carry a minimum sentence of one year in jail in addition to substantial fines. Misdemeanors result in up to one year in jail.
There are substantial differences between prisons and jails. The local government and law enforcement run jails, which holds individuals awaiting trial and those who were convicted of misdemeanors. The state and federal governments run jails, which hold individuals who are convicted of committing felonies.
There is also a third category to consider in addition to felonies and misdemeanors: wobblers. The term “wobblers” refers to an offense that can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
Misdemeanors are broken into three groups: Class A, Class B, and Class C. Class A misdemeanors are more serious than Class B and Class C misdemeanors.
To gain a further understanding of how these groups are divided, it is important to understand some of the most common crimes that are part of each group.
Class A misdemeanors include indecent exposure, sexual misconduct, theft of property up to five hundred dollars in value, and third-time DUIs.
Class B misdemeanors include cruelty to animals and unlawful assembly.
Class C misdemeanors include disorderly conduct, failure to obtain a gun permit, harassment, and removing a shopping cart from store premises.
In the state of Alabama, each misdemeanor class results in a maximum sentence.
Class A misdemeanors result in jail sentences of not more than one year.
Class B misdemeanors result in jail sentences of not more than six months.
Class C misdemeanors result in jail sentences not greater than three months.
In the state of Alabama, individuals who are convicted of misdemeanors can also be forced to pay fines or pay fines in lieu of serving a jail sentence. A misdemeanor’s class defines how the amount of fines that an individual must be required to pay.
Individuals sentenced to a Class A misdemeanor will be ordered to pay no more than six thousand dollars, Class B misdemeanors result in fines not more than three thousand dollars, and Class C misdemeanors result in fines not greater than five hundred dollars or double the amount the victim lost or the defendant gained from the commission of the crime.
When individuals are faced with misdemeanors in the state of Alabama, it is often a wise idea to consult about the matter with an experienced criminal defense attorney. To ensure that your misdemeanor results in the best potential outcome, do not hesitate to retain the legal counsel of Alabama Criminal Lawyers today.
Sentencing hearings allow individuals who have been convicted of a crime the opportunity to reduce potential punishments and penalties. Sentencing hearings only arise after an individual enters a guilty plea or a no-contest plea to a criminal charge or when an individual is convicted of at least one charge by a jury or judge.
Before a judge decides the penalty that results from a conviction, individuals have the opportunity to voice their opinion of what the just penalty should be. As a result of the opportunity to have one’s complaints heard, individuals benefit substantially from the use of expert legal counsel during sentencing hearings.
Individuals also benefit from understanding the essential elements of how a sentencing hearing proceeds in the state of Alabama.
The length of a sentencing hearing is largely based on how complicated the case at hand is. If a sentence has been decided during plea negotiations, the judge has only to make an official statement about the resulting penalty.
When a sentence has the potential to include either a substantial prison sentence or other severe consequences, a sentencing hearing is likely to take a substantially longer amount of time.
There are several major factors that influence a judge’s decision when a sentencing hearing occurs. First, a judge looks towards oral statements from an open court. These statements include comments made by the defendant, the defense attorney, the prosecutor, and any potential victims. Judges also look to pre-sentence reports provided by probation officers.
These reports are written by probation officers during the course of a hearing. If the charge involves a misdemeanor, these sentences are normally assigned quickly by a judge and often involve a prison sentence between six months to one year in jail.
If a felony is involved, a judge has many other potential factors to consider when deciding an individual’s sentence.
At sentencing hearings in the state of Alabama, both sides of the case have the opportunity to present witnesses and other types of evidence to argue either side of a case.
Minimum mandatory sentences are required in sentencing hearings. Minimum mandatory sentences are sentences that a judge must meet when assigning a penalty at a sentencing hearing. These sentences exist for both state and federal cases. Only the opposing legal counsel has the ability to waive a minimum mandatory sentence.
Minimum mandatory sentences are a primary concern when judges assign a penalty at the end of a sentencing hearing.
A skilled criminal defense attorney will know how to deliver a convincing argument at a sentencing hearing that will have a substantial impact on how the defendant is perceived and subsequently treated by a court of law.
If you are faced with a sentencing hearing, understand that the services of experienced legal counsel can help a client make sure that the hearing unfolds in the best possible manner. Our legal counsel has the talent to make sure that clients have the best opportunity at obtaining favorable results.
Contact Alabama Criminal Lawyers today at (205) 981-2450 for a free consultation.