While our focus at the Oakley Law Group is on estate planning and closely related practice areas, we are frequently asked about legal issues involving criminal defense. As an additional resource for our clients, we maintain a list of practitioners — many who are former prosecutors — who we feel confident will provide sound counsel and legal representation in this area. Should you need a referral, please feel free to call our office and we will be happy to provide a few recommendations.
Sometimes good people find themselves in bad situations. Strong, aggressive counsel may be necessary to represent businesses and individuals in a wide range of criminal defense matters, including grand jury investigations, criminal prosecutions, extradition proceedings and civil enforcement actions brought by state and federal agencies. You should know that the course of a criminal investigation or civil enforcement, and even the charging decisions themselves, are rarely inevitable. Choosing the correct counsel to represent you early on in an investigation can reduce the risk of formal charges.
A good criminal defense attorney can reduce the damage and disruption caused by investigations and protect you from indictments or civil charges. In the event that an indictment or civil charges are unavoidable, you need an attorney with the experience to give sound advice about the risks and benefits of going to trial or accepting a plea, as well as one with the necessary skills to take the case to court or negotiate for a favorable plea or settlement.