Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyer

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Any time you or a loved one is facing criminal charges, it is essential you hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you contact a lawyer with Patituce & Associates, LLC, the sooner we can begin protecting your rights and mounting a solid defense on your behalf.

Our team includes former prosecutors, so we know how the other side works and can employ effective strategies designed to attack the case against you. We also have more than 70 years of experience you can count on at every stage of your case. Contact us today to speak to one of our dedicated criminal defense lawyers during a free and confidential consultation.

Types of Cases Our Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers Handle

Our Columbus criminal defense lawyers are equipped to handle the most complex and serious of criminal cases, including:

When your life, freedom, and reputation are at stake, it is crucial that you choose a criminal defense lawyer who can aggressively protect your rights at every stage of the case. At Patituce & Associates, we make a difference in our clients’ lives by eliminating or mitigating criminal consequences. We have over a 95% success rate at trial, so you can trust you’re in good hands when you hire our firm. See how our Columbus criminal defense firm can help you by calling (440) 427-3860.

How Our Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help

Our Columbus criminal defense lawyers fight to protect our client’s rights at every stage of the case. We can expertly guide you through every phase of the case including:

Pre-Arrest

You might not think about hiring a criminal defense lawyer until after you’re arrested, but this is a mistake. Involving a criminal defense lawyer as early in the process as possible may help charges from being filed against you or from you making mistakes that could irreparably damage your case.

We have successfully prevented charges from being filed against our clients, protecting their freedom and reputation. We strive to dismantle the district attorney’s or United States Attorney’s case before you face formal charges, showing that there is insufficient evidence to support a compelling evidence finding.

During this stage in the case, we can:

Challenge any evidence against you
Represent you during pre-arrest interviews
Prevent you from making any incriminating statements against yourself
Respond on your behalf to official written inquiries
Manage any interactions with law enforcement

Discovery

Discovery is the formal process of exchanging information during the litigation process. In a criminal case, this involves the exchange of information from both parties to learn what evidence they have to present in court.

Our experienced lawyers understand how critical the discovery process is to the eventual outcome of a case. We can thoroughly investigate the facts of the case, gather evidence to establish your defense, and interview potential witnesses for or against you. At Patituce & Associates, LLC, we go a step beyond many of our peers by visiting the crime scene and:

Investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime
Identifying possible motives for false allegations or false identification against you
Demanding the government produce all evidence it plans to use against you and any evidence it has that may prove your innocence
Identifying all available defenses and compiling evidence to support them
Reviewing discovery to determine if any evidence could be suppressed
Determining if we should challenge the validity or credibility of the prosecution’s evidence
Searching for additional evidence, such as surveillance footage or witnesses who did not cooperate with law enforcement’s investigation
Using a private investigator to gather additional evidence, when appropriate

Learn what makes us different when you contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.

Motions

Many lawyers underestimate the importance of legal motions. However, motions can effectively get evidence against you suppressed, criminal charges dismissed, or evidence limited to use against you. Unscrupulous law enforcement officers may be attempting to frame you or may have broken fundamental rules that protect justice in our society. Some of the arguments we may be able to make in support of these legal motions include:

The officer did not have reasonable suspicion to commence the traffic stop that led to your arrest
The officer did not have probable cause to arrest you
Law enforcement committed an illegal and unconstitutional search or seizure
Law enforcement did not administer roadside sobriety or breath tests properly
Lab technicians mishandled evidence so the evidence is no longer credible
A healthcare provider did not withdraw blood, DNA, or other genetic matter properly
Evidence is irrelevant or unfairly prejudiced

We can thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your arrest and the ensuing investigation to determine all potential arguments. We have an extensive and in-depth understanding of the law, which we will put to use to make the most effective legal arguments in your favor.

Plea Bargain Negotiating

As we demonstrate how prepared we are to take your case to trial or win motions that can affect the outcome of the case, prosecutors often come to see us as formidable opponents. If a complete dismissal of the case is not possible, a favorable plea bargain in which charges are reduced against you or lighter sentences are imposed may be offered.

Sometimes, plea bargains are in the best interests of a defendant facing criminal charges. However, they may not be right in all cases. You can trust the criminal defense lawyers at Patituce & Associates, LLC to provide you with an honest assessment of your case and the possible outcomes. We can discuss the pros and cons of taking a plea bargain and make an honest recommendation about what we believe is in your best interests.

Some of the advantages of taking a plea bargain include:

Finality – A plea bargain can help end the case so you don’t have to worry about the outcome or the type of sentence you might receive. This can let you move on with your life.
Faster – A plea bargain can allow you to skip the lengthy trial process so you can get on with your life and have minimal disruption to your life.
Certainty – If you accept a plea bargain, you will know the outcome. A judge or jury could rule against you and impose harsh penalties, which you might be able to avoid with a favorable plea bargain.
Reduced charges – In exchange for not requiring the prosecutor to prepare for a trial and pleading guilty to criminal charges, you may be able to have charges against you reduced, such as being charged with a misdemeanor instead of a felony or being charged with fewer crimes.
Lighter sentence – You might be able to spend less time in jail or prison with a plea bargain.
Privacy – By avoiding a trial, you may be able to prevent embarrassing or damaging information about you introduced in a public forum.

While these are notable advantages, taking a plea bargain can have drawbacks, too, such as:

Waiving of rights – When you accept a plea agreement, you waive important rights, including the right to confront your accuser, the right to a fair trial, and the right to hold the prosecution to its burden of proof. You effectively waive these rights with a guilty plea.
Pleading guilty – You must plead guilty to receive a plea agreement. If you are innocent of the charges or there is a plausible legal defense, you may not want to publicly declare guilt.
Criminal record – Even if your charges are reduced, you will still be convicted of a crime. A criminal record can follow you around for years, affecting job opportunities, housing, and your reputation.
Lose chance of acquittal – The prosecution has a high burden to meet in order to convict you. The prosecution’s case against you might be weak or problematic. An experienced lawyer may be able to achieve a full acquittal on your behalf. If you accept a plea bargain, you lose this opportunity.

Your lawyer will counsel you on the possible consequences of each of your choices so that you can make an informed decision about how you want to proceed with your case. We are available to answer your questions and ensure you understand your legal rights and options at each turn.

Litigation

Litigation refers to the legal process that begins when a client is charged until acquittal or sentencing. There are several strategic approaches that our lawyers can make to strive for the best possible outcome.

Your legal team will work to zealously represent your interests at all times. We can help build a strong defense on your behalf and counter the prosecution’s case against you. By carefully analyzing evidence that may be raised against you, cross-examining witnesses in court, or filing legal motions that hold the other side to the letter of the law, we can fulfill our duty to provide a zealous legal representation to you.

As part of the litigation process, we will research relevant caselaw, determine appropriate defenses to raise on your behalf, identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s legal theory of the case, and file appropriate motions. Whether or not you decide to go to trial, this important work will help to strengthen your case.

Trial

If you ultimately decide to take your case to trial, you can rest assured that we will do everything possible to defend your freedom, including:

Interrogating any potential jurors for possible bias and challenging their right to be on the jury
Making persuasive legal arguments
Cross-examining witnesses against you
Challenging the evidence against you
Holding the prosecution to its high burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt
Presenting evidence and witnesses on your behalf

What to Look for in a Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyer

We know that our Columbus criminal defense lawyers are not your only option for criminal defense. Whomever you choose to hire should have the following characteristics:

Experience – Any criminal defense lawyer you choose should have experience in criminal law and with the particular type of charge you are facing.
Knowledge – Your lawyer may know of persuasive legal theories and cases that they can use to advance your interests.
Skill – It is imperative you only hire a lawyer who has the necessary skill to properly represent you. When the charges are serious, you need someone to mount a serious defense on your behalf.
Honesty – A lawyer should tell you the truth about the case against you and the potential outcome. At Patituce & Associates, LLC, we always give it to our clients straight.
Approachability – An in-person consultation can help you get to know your lawyer better and see what it might be like to work with them. No reputable attorney will guarantee results. However, they should be able to tell you the steps they can take to protect your rights. Patituce & Associates, LLC offers a free consultation so you have the chance to get to know us better.
A willingness to go to court – Some attorneys take criminal cases and plead them all out. Our Ohio criminal defense lawyers don’t think this is in our client’s best interests. We take a personalized approach to each case and ensure our clients know all their options.
Results – Any lawyer you consult at the beginning of your case should be willing to discuss their results with you. If they’re not, this is a red flag that they might not have the best results. The Patituce & Associates, LLC is proud to announce that we have a greater than 95% success rate at trial.

Principles Our Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers Uphold

At Patituce & Associates, LLC, we hold certain legal principles sacred, including:

You have the right to remain silent.
You have the right not to bear witness against yourself.
You have the right to hold the prosecution to their high burden of proof.
You have the right to confront your accuser.
You have the right to a fair trial.
You have the right to due process.

We fight tirelessly on behalf of all of our clients to uphold these principles.

Contact Our Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers for Immediate Assistance

If you are facing criminal charges, our Columbus criminal defense lawyers are here to help. Whether you are facing criminal charges for theft, assault, a sex crime, murder, or a white collar crime, Patituce & Associates, LLC is equipped to handle them. You can fill out our online contact form or call us at (440) 427-3860 to arrange your free and confidential consultation.