When you’re facing criminal charges, there are dos and there are don’ts. You do want to hire an experienced defense attorney, follow the judge’s instructions, and stay out of trouble. You don’t want to make things any more difficult for yourself, which is the subject of this blog post.
Don’t Make Things Worse
One of the worst things you can do is pick up a new criminal case. Breaking the law is always going to be a violation of your pre-trial release conditions, and it sends the message to the judge that you’re not taking things as seriously as you should.
If you’re assigned to alcohol monitoring or drug testing, that’s an easy way to dig yourself a deeper hole. Failing a test will get you in trouble, and a missed test is often treated as a failed test. Don’t try to beat the system.
Follow Court Orders
Likewise, if you’ve been ordered not to have contact with a person or persons, you need to obey that order. Violating a no contact order can result in an invasion of privacy charge, and this is not simply a violation of pre-trial conditions—it’s a brand new criminal case.
Invasion of privacy starts as a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of 365 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. If you have a prior conviction for invasion of privacy, you can be charged with a Level 6 felony, which carries a maximum penalty of two-and-a-half years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Make the Right Call
The Marc Lopez Law Firm deals with criminal charges and pre-trial release conditions on a daily basis. If you have any questions about how to stay out of trouble, give us a call at 317-632-3642 and remember—always plead the 5th!
