Defending Clients Facing Charges in Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Other Areas of New York
Everyone has the right to a fair trial. Unfortunately, not all criminal defense attorneys are created equal.
When you have been arrested, your future is at stake. Even being issued a traffic citation can have a tremendous impact on your livelihood and other opportunities. A felony conviction can cost you your freedom and negatively affect your life for years to come.
With so much on the line, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer who understands the seriousness of the situation you are facing. At O’Connor & Partners, PLLC, our attorneys have experience on both sides of the criminal justice system. In addition to being skilled negotiators, our team is made up of trial lawyers who know how to represent you effectively in court.
If you or a loved one has been arrested or charged with a crime, contact O’Connor & Partners, PLLC or call (845) 303-8777 today for immediate assistance. Our criminal defense lawyers serve clients throughout the Hudson Valley, including Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and other areas of New York.
When Should I Hire a Criminal Defense Attorney?
If you have been arrested on any charge, you should ask to speak to a lawyer right away. Decline to answer any further questions until you have a lawyer sitting beside you. If you don’t have legal counsel and you try to answer questions from the police on your own, you run the risk of saying something that could harm your case.
You can also hire a criminal defense lawyer at any point after being arrested and booked by the police. It is in your best interest to be represented by counsel during the arraignment – the court appearance where the charges against you are read, you are asked to enter a plea, and bail may be set.
A lawyer can also meet with you after you have been arraigned. This meeting may take place at your home if you have been released, or in jail if you have been remanded. It is crucially important to hire a criminal defense lawyer before trial so you have qualified counsel to prepare your case and represent you in court.
Why Choose O’Connor & Partners, PLLC for Your Defense?
Experience can make all the difference between being acquitted or receiving a lesser sentence and having your life turned upside down by a conviction. Although many public defenders put forth their best efforts, court-appointed defense attorneys are often young, inexperienced, and overwhelmed by large caseloads.
You need a criminal defense lawyer with experience and tenacity who is dedicated to your case. The team at O’Connor & Partners, PLLC can help.
Our lawyers are available 24/7 to answer your calls. We will travel to your location in order to provide effective, in-person service. We combine negotiation skills with aggressive representation at trial.
In addition, several of our attorneys previously served as prosecutors in New York:
Kevin C. Harp
Attorney Kevin Harp served as Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2012. He supervised the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team and brought a number of serious felony cases to trial.
Dylan Gallagher
Attorney Dylan Gallagher previously served in two prosecutor positions in two different states. He was an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney from 2007 to 2010 in Fairfax County, Virginia, before serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Ulster County, New York, from 2010 to 2012.
What Criminal Defense Cases Do You Accept?
Through their experience as prosecutors, our lawyers understand the tactics the police and the state employ in cases involving a wide range of charges. We provide skilled representation for clients who have been arrested for or are facing charges such as:
- DWI: A conviction for Driving While Intoxicated can carry fines and jail time. In addition, your driver’s license may be suspended or revoked, which can impact your ability to work, affect your car insurance rates, and more.
- Drug offenses: The severity of fines and jail time for drug offenses varies by the type of drug and the amount. You should always take charges for possession, manufacturing, distribution, and trafficking of any drug seriously.
- Assault and related offenses: The New York State Penal Code includes a number of offenses in the article on assault. Related offenses include aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, menacing, stalking, vehicular assault, gang assault, and more. The majority of these are felony charges, for which you may be sentenced to probation or prison time.
- Sex crimes: Sex offenses in New York State include rape, sexual abuse, facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance, and more. If you are convicted, you may not only have to serve a prison sentence but also register as a sex offender. Such a designation can limit your employment opportunities, where you can live, and many other aspects of your life.
- Traffic-related offenses: Many people wave their hand at tickets and citations thinking they have little to no impact on their lives. In reality, it is in your best interest to take any charge of violating traffic laws seriously, including speeding, reckless driving, failure to yield, distracted driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and more.
Innocent until proven guilty is the spirit of the law. Unfortunately, it is the rule rather than the exception for police and prosecutors to treat suspects like they have already been convicted.
You need a criminal defense lawyer who will protect your rights and fight for your freedom.
What Questions Should I Ask a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
As the saying goes, knowledge is power. When you are arrested or charged with a crime, you probably feel fairly powerless. So, when choosing a criminal defense attorney, it is in your best interest to ask questions and find the right lawyer for your situation.
What Experience Do You Have with Criminal Law?
Some lawyers and law firms dabble in criminal cases to increase their volume of cases. You need an attorney who makes criminal defense a key part of their practice.
Will My Case Go to Trial?
The climactic scene in many TV shows and movies is a criminal trial. In reality, however, many criminal cases don’t go to court. You want a criminal defense lawyer who has the ability to negotiate a plea bargain on your behalf AND is willing to go to trial to win an acquittal.
What Do You Need from Me?
Successful criminal defense attorneys recognize the value of communication with their clients. It is important to be honest at all times with your lawyer. Anything you tell him is protected by attorney-client privilege, so don’t hold back if you are concerned about some detail of your case, previous criminal charges and convictions, or other potential issues.
How Often Will I Hear from You?
Your criminal defense lawyer and his team should be available to you 24/7. Although the courts maintain normal business hours, your worries, your memory of the events, and more stay with you all the time, day and night. Having your calls and messages returned promptly is crucial for your peace of mind during the legal process.
What Does It Cost to Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
The answer to this question varies from lawyer to lawyer and law firm to law firm. Most criminal defense lawyers charge an hourly fee at a set rate. A prospective attorney should be open with you about their fee structure and how much their services may ultimately cost.
How Can a Criminal Defense Lawyer Help Me?
It is in your best interest to contact us as soon as possible if you have been arrested or charged. One of our lawyers will immediately come to you at home, the police station, or wherever you are to discuss your legal options.
Your criminal defense lawyer will advise you of your rights and what to expect from the proceedings based on the charges. Next, we will conduct a thorough investigation of your case, collect evidence to refute the allegations against you, and file motions. This process may include:
- Interviewing witnesses
- Reviewing police reports and witness statements
- Examining the scene
- Hiring forensic experts to review the evidence against you
- Requesting and subpoenaing electronic surveillance
- Filing motions to suppress or exclude evidence
- Filing motions to dismiss the charges
- Developing defense arguments to counter the prosecution’s claims
Your lawyer will also negotiate with the prosecutor in an effort to reduce the charges. If a plea bargain is in your best interest, this may result in less jail time, probation instead of imprisonment, and other superior outcomes.
Should the case proceed to trial, a not guilty verdict will be your criminal defense attorney’s goal. To achieve this result, your lawyer will deliver a compelling opening statement and closing argument, submit relevant evidence to the court, perform direct examinations of witnesses for the defense, cross-examine prosecution witnesses, and more.
Investigation, court procedure, and advocating for you at trial require time, resources, and experience. Your lawyer needs to be knowledgeable and skilled in handling the charges against you in order to mount an effective defense.
Does It Matter Where a Criminal Case Is Tried?
Location is key to where your case will be tried. Your case may begin in a city, town, or village court before moving to a county court.
It is crucial for your criminal defense lawyer to know the judges, prosecutors, and other people who may be involved in your case. By the same token, prosecuting attorneys may be more willing to negotiate a plea with a defense lawyer who has a reputation for aggressively trying and winning cases.
The lawyers at O’Connor & Partners, PLLC have more than 150 years of combined experience in courts throughout the Hudson Valley. Our main office in Kingston is located just a few blocks from the Ulster County Courthouse. With additional offices in Poughkeepsie and Newburgh, we have also represented clients before courts in Dutchess County and Orange County.
Other counties in which our lawyers have appeared on behalf of clients in criminal defense proceedings include:
- Sullivan County
- Westchester County
- Rockland County
- Greene County
- Columbia County
- Rensselaer County
- Albany County
All of our lawyers have been trying cases in courts throughout New York for years, as well as in state and federal court.
Contact Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been arrested or charged with a felony, misdemeanor, traffic violation, or other offense, you need to act quickly to protect your rights. The attorneys at O’Connor & Partners, PLLC have more than 150 years of combined experience serving the Hudson Valley region. Our criminal defense lawyers are committed to protecting your rights, your freedom, and your future.
Please call (845) 303-8777 today for experienced help with a criminal defense matter. O’Connor & Partners, PLLC has offices in Kingston, Poughkeepsie, and Newburgh, New York.