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What is Criminal Law?

Criminal law is the area of law that deals with those who commit crimes. Crimes are generally defined as deviant behavior that violates social norms. What is considered a social norm and what is considered deviant behavior is determined both at the federal level and the state level, as are the punishments for various crimes.

Punishments for crimes vary based on the severity of the crime that was committed and where the crime was committed. In the United States, crimes are classified in two main categories: felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies are serious crimes that are generally punishable by a year or more in prison (e.g., armed robbery, murder). Misdemeanors are less serious crimes that are generally punishable by less than a year in prison (e.g., petty theft, vandalism).

People accused of crimes are granted certain rights under the US Constitution that protect them from being treated unfairly. Some of these rights include:

• The right to an attorney
• The right to not incriminate oneself
• The right to a speedy and public trial
• The right to an appeal

Consequences for those convicted of a crime can change a person’s life forever—affecting career choices, educational opportunities and personal liberties. For this reason, it is a good idea to have a skilled criminal defense lawyer on your side if you have been accused of committing a crime. A criminal defense attorney can not only help you understand your rights, but make sure those rights are protected.

In addition to protecting your rights, a skilled attorney should also be able to help you develop a strong defense for the charges you face. Contacting an attorney as soon as you are arrested or suspect you may be arrested is imperative. Having a criminal defense lawyer by your side may help you avoid mistakes that could negatively impact your case. Additionally, having an attorney on-hand early will allow sufficient time to strategize your defense and thoroughly investigate the charges you may face.

Remember, a criminal record may follow you around for the rest of your life. Don’t leave your future up to fate. Contact a criminal defense attorney today.

Criminal Law Articles

• What Happens When A Person is Charged With A Crime? - Certain constitutional protections apply to a person charged with a crime.
• What Happens When You are Arrested - In addition to knowing what your rights are when you are arrested, it is important to know the typical procedure for an arrest.
• The Criminal Process: How it Works - The criminal process typically begins with a stop or an arrest.
• When the Victim of Identity Theft is Your Employee - All across America, the fastest-growing white-collar crime in the nation has been identified as "identity theft" -- and it's affecting individuals and employers alike in insidious ways.
• More Criminal Law Articles

 

Criminal Law Calculators

• DWI Calculators
  For each state, this calculator estimates the sentence that a person will receive for a drivin while intoxicated offence.

Criminal Law Links

• Bureau of Justice Assistance
  Supporter of national criminal justice system
• Bureau of Justice Statistics
  Statistics about crimes & victims, drugs & crime, homicide trends; general information and links
• A Capital Defender's Toolbox
  Capital Defense Weekly - news and articles
• CopNet Guide to law enforcement resources
• Criminal Info Network
• Legal Information Institute - Criminal Law
  An overview; federal, state, international material and other resources
• Legal Information Institute - Criminal Procedure
  An overview; federal, state, international material and other resources
• The Corrections Connection
  Resource for news and information in corrections
• U.S. Department of Justice
  Information, resources and news
  

Criminal Attorneys By State

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia

Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts

Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York

North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas

Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming   Puerto Rico

Featured Criminal Attorneys

If you've been accused of a crime in Tennessee and need agressive representation, contact Nashville criminal attorneys Haymaker and Heroux. Tennesse criminal defense attorneys that work with oxycontin cases, dui cases, rape and child abuse. It pays to have an attorney familiar with Tennessee drug laws and criminal laws.

 

Been accused of a violent crime in Atlanta Georgia? In need of a great criminal defense attorney? Marietta criminal lawyer David West has been helping those accused of a crime since 1994. DUI, drug crimes, appeals and more. Contact him today.