Jersey City Criminal Attorney

The Importance of Avoiding a Criminal Conviction

Never choose to represent yourself in a criminal case. One criminal conviction can alter the course of your life forever, even if it is a misdemeanor. Below are just some of the consequences that can stem from a criminal conviction.

Student Financial Aid Ineligibility

If you have plans to go to college and need to pay for the tuition with financial aid, then you might have a problem doing so with a criminal conviction on your record. Certain crimes will make you ineligible to receive future financial aid. If you have questions about this, then our defense attorneys can answer them for you.

Incarceration

No one ever thinks they’ll go to prison until they hear the judge hand down a sentence of prison time. Incarceration is perhaps the worst consequence of a criminal conviction because your freedoms and liberties are taken away from you. There is no telling how long you could end up in prison if convicted of a crime.

Don’t assume that it won’t happen because it can, even if it is a white-collar crime. The benefit of hiring a defense attorney versus a public defender is that we’ll work overtime to present a valid defense so that you can either avoid incarceration altogether or get the least amount of prison time possible.

Inability to Find Suitable Employment

It is difficult enough to find a job when you don’t have a criminal conviction on your record. Can you imagine how much more difficult it would be to find a job if you did have a criminal conviction? Most of your employment opportunities would be reduced to low-wage jobs with no potential for growth. Please don’t let yourself get to this point without doing everything possible to avoid it. That is why you should call our defense attorneys to defend you against the criminal charges that you face.

Probation

If you are fortunate enough to avoid prison time after a criminal conviction, you will likely be given a probationary sentence. Probation allows you to remain living in the community, but you must obey certain rules and restrictions for a specific number of years.

This would include reporting to a probation officer on a regular basis, maintaining employment, and not getting into any more trouble. Other conditions may be set by the judge, which must be obeyed. Otherwise, your probation will be revoked, and a prison sentence will be issued.

Travel Restrictions

If you want to travel out of state or out of the country after a criminal conviction, then you may face certain travel restrictions. It depends on the severity of the crimes and whether you’re on probation or parole. If you are not on probation or parole, then you will have a bit more freedom in terms of travel. However, you may run into trouble if you try to get approved for a passport. Talk to an attorney if you have concerns about this.

Inability to Own a Firearm

A felony conviction is an even bigger scar on your permanent record. If you are a proud Second Amendment supporter who believes in the right to own firearms, then you will have to give up that right if you are convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from owning firearms.