A misdemeanor is sometimes thought of as a “minor” crime. To some extent, that may be the case. A person convicted of a misdemeanor may spend a maximum of 12 months in the county jail, or be fined a maximum of $1,000.00, or both. When compared to a lengthy term in a state prison and fines amounting to over five figures, a misdemeanor may, indeed, seem minor.
When it comes to your life after conviction of a misdemeanor crime, the crime may be anything but minor. After conviction, you have a criminal record that may follow you for the rest of your life. A criminal conviction may jeopardize your future employment; it can affect your ability to obtain housing; you may become ineligible for certain categories of educational financial aid; you can be barred from obtaining a professional license; your loan application could be denied; child custody might be negatively affected. You might even find that you cannot cross our border with Canada because of your misdemeanor conviction. In some cases, you may be required to be listed on the sex offender registry, which is one of the most serious post-conviction consequences one can experience.
R. M. Sheffield Legal Services will defend you against misdemeanor offenses including, but not limited to:
DUI (including open container violations)
Theft (including shoplifting)
Simple Assault or Battery
Trespassing
Drug Possession
Probation Violations
Resisting Arrest
Vandalism
Disorderly Conduct
Before you give any statement to the police, call us at 770.355.3988. Don’t put yourself in deeper trouble by making statements that may be misinterpreted and will certainly be held against you. Our goal is to have your charge dismissed entirely, or, at least, to have the charge reduced so that you do not have a criminal record.