Lawyers Directory Massachusetts

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Massachusetts | Weapon Crimes

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Weapon crimes in Massachusetts can lead up to 21 years in prison

Assault charges don’t have simple way of determining the punishment, because there are so many variables and circumstances that need to be taken into consideration that each case has to be reviewed individually. Therefore, there is not set punishment, but only a range of possible impacts of a conviction from assault. It is of prime importance to get professional help. Contact the lawyers on starlaw.us to find the most likely scenario for your case.

In Massachusetts, in certain cases, if assault charges are confirmed by the court, there may be a chance of only having to complete classes, without the charges having any further impact. This scenario is only possible for assault occurring for the first time. However, a person can also be charged with an aggravated assault, which holds harsher penalties - large fines and also a possibility of spending time in jail.

Assault charges can also be cross referenced with other crimes under certain circumstances. This can be the case, if a vehicle is involved in an assault, or if the actions fall under domestic violence. To understand the overall impact and learn about the possible crimes that may be connected to an assault charge.

Another related assault related crime that is defined by itself is any action involving illegal manipulation of a weapon. Further local laws may apply; however, in Massachusetts, it is illegal to use a shooting weapon outside of the limits of the law.

If a gun or any other weapon of the same functionality is used outside of the legal boundaries, the time spend in jail may be up to 3 years. But more times than others, this crime is considered a misdemeanor. To be able to get the best decision from a judge, it is crucial to have professional help that understands the workings of the law in the cases of weapon crimes. We are here exactly for that reason.

Another big group of crimes using weapons are drive-by shootings. These crimes can be punished by up to 21 years in jail, because of the danger they pose for the public. This scope of a punishment only applies to shootings out of a vehicle that happen for the first time, and are increased in scale with any re-occurrence. Furthermore, conviction from this type of crime leads to confiscation of the driver’s license and possible loss of the vehicle used in the crime.

Assault and weapon crime charges in Massachusetts are very complies and can include so many possibilities that it is of utmost importance to receive evaluation and consequent help from a professional.

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Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Essex County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Town and County of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Massachusetts | Failure to Appear

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In the state of Massachusetts, it is important that you show up in court when you are requested. It is not uncommon for a judge to release someone on a bond with the promise to show up for their court date in the future. While most individuals will show up on their court date without an issue, failure to appear can turn into criminal charges. This can apply whether you are a witness, felony cases and misdemeanor cases. When you are charged with failure to appear, it is important to contact the professionals at starlaw.us to get the help you need.

There are several times when things beyond your control will result in a failure to appear. You may have forgotten about the court date, your car might have broken down, or another emergency forced you to miss out on the court date. When this happens, it is important to hire a defense attorney to help you get things straightened out and possibly eliminate the criminal charges.

Penalties

If you are dealing with felony charges and did not appear in court, this failure to appear is going to be classified as a Class D felony. These felonies have penalties that include spending 5 years in jail and fines up to $7000. If you skipped out on a case that is considered a misdemeanor, your charge will become a serious misdemeanor. Under the laws of Massachusetts, the penalties can include a year of jail and fines up to $1875.

Not Appearing as a Witness

If you are supposed to appear as a witness to a trial, there are some different punishments and rules that will apply. When you fail to appear as a witness, you are charged a simple misdemeanor. You may have to spend 30 days at jail and can be fined up to $625.

Regardless of which failure to appear applies to you, it is important that you answer the request within a day. This is a scary time once you realize you missed out on the appearance and most people are worried about what will happen. With the right legal defense, you can get this sorted out and may be able to reduce the penalties against you.

The next steps

As soon as you are issued a failure to appear, it is critical to get the legal defense that you need. This defense can take the time to look through your case and talk to the judge on your behalf. Through negotiations and presenting of facts, you may be given another chance and the felony can be reduced.

The lawyers on starlaw.us we strive to provide our clients with the best legal team possible for forgery and fraud. If you find yourself facing these kinds of charges, please feel free to contact our defense attorneys Ask for a free initial consultation.

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Saturday, March 5, 2016

Massachusetts | Statutory Rape

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Statutory rape is one criminal offense that can easily ruin your life. This kind of sexual activity occurs between someone who is over the age of 16 and someone who is under the age of 16. In Massachusetts, you will notice that there is a distinct difference between child rape which is intercourse between younger children that is never consensual and intercourse that is consensual between an older person and a teenager. The cases are often going to be taken more serious depending on the age of both the defendant and the victim; the younger the child and the older the adult the worse the penalties can be.

If you are dealing with charges of statutory rape, you need to take the time to get a criminal defense lawyer. There are some defenses that you can use that can help you out and ensures that you don’t carry this kind of criminal offense around for the rest of your life.

Defenses

When you hire a criminal defense lawyer, there are a few different defenses that can be used in your case for statutory rape. These include:

The age of the defendant—many states are going to have Romeo and Juliet exception that will protect younger couples who are having consensual intercourse with others who are about their age. This could help if one of the partners is a few years older, but they are still old enough to be consensual.

Marriage—if the child and the defendant are married, it is hard to come up with charges of statutory rape. Keep in mind that Massachusetts doesn’t have this kind of defense so even if you are married, this could cause some issues.

Mistake of the child’s age—this is usually not a defense, but in some cases, you may be able to get help if you were led to believe that the child was older than they are before having the consensual intercourse.

Punishment

There are many different punishments that can be levied if you are charged and convicted of statutory rape. This can go from time in jail, even up to life in jail and some fees. It is often going to depend on how the charges are brought up. For example, rape of a child is going to be capable of life imprisonment and aggravated rape would be at least ten years. In addition, indecent battery against a child who is younger than 14 can be up to ten years in prison. The courts are going to get the chance to pick out the punishment that they would like to give you based on the case at hand.

Sex Offender Status

If you are convicted of statutory rape, this is something that could go on your legal record for the rest of your life. This is going to be placed on the sex offender registration list and will follow you around. You will not be allowed to live in certain areas and they will not allow you to have certain jobs. This could be something that ruins your life because of one mistake.

This is why it is so important to get the right legal counsel that you need right away. The right criminal lawyer will be able to look at your case and come up with the legal case that is going to work the best for you and to get your punishments down as much as possible. Contact a criminal defense lawyer in your area to get started on a good defense and to get your charges reduced or dropped as quickly as possible rather than letting this follow you around for years to come.

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