Types of Criminal Defense Cases We Handle
At SDHMR Law Group, our Noblesville criminal lawyers handle a wide range of criminal charges:
Traffic Violations
If you have been ticketed or charged with a traffic offense in Hamilton County, you’ll be exposed to points on your license, higher insurance premiums, expensive fines, and possible driving restrictions. The best thing to do is to work with a knowledgeable lawyer. By hiring a Noblesville criminal attorney, you have someone who knows how to navigate traffic issues in Hamilton County and how to fight for the best possible outcome. Whether it means having a ticket dismissed or amended to a more appropriate citation, we know the strategies that work. We regularly handle speeding, reckless driving, running red lights, and aggressive driving tickets. Let us help you through traffic court, avoid points, and protect your license.
OWI/DUI
Officers are constantly on the lookout for impaired drivers, and being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs can be devastating. It is particularly hard on you and your family when the charges are unfounded or based on faulty testing practices. A DUI can negatively affect you – personally and professionally. A DUI can even result in time behind bars and long license suspensions. To fight OWI/DUI charges in Hamilton County, call our Noblesville DUI attorneys right away at 317-550-5339. Our defense attorneys will carefully review your traffic stop, arrest, and chemical testing to determine your strongest defense options. From there, we will work to improve your situation and protect you from any negative ramifications.
Drug Crimes
If you were arrested for possession, manufacturing, selling, or trafficking of controlled substances, or possession of drug paraphernalia, call a criminal attorney immediately. County and local police departments and prosecutors take drug crimes very seriously. Prosecutors will charge you with the harshest offense as they can, and in most cases, they will seek the maximum penalty. At SDHMR Law Group, our Noblesville drug lawyers know the importance of preserving your record from the stigma and lasting effects of drug convictions. We regularly handle drug cases across Hamilton County involving marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, opioids, and many other controlled substances. We will fight hard for you not to have a drug conviction on your record.
Theft & Shoplifting
Theft crimes come in many shapes and sizes. Whether you were accused of shoplifting or a large scale fraud, if you or a loved one have been charged with a theft offense, contact SDHMR Law Group right away. These charges can have a significant impact on your life and record, from possible time in custody to limited job prospects because theft is viewed as a crime of dishonesty. Depending on the type and value of the property you are accused of taking, you could also face felony-level penalties, punishable by several years in prison. The best way to defend yourself is to work with an attorney.
Violent Crimes
At SDHMR Law Group, our Noblesville criminal defense attorneys are highly experienced in defending against violent crimes, such as assault, battery, strangulation, kidnapping, manslaughter, and murder. Many of these crimes are charged as felonies, exposing the accused to long periods of incarceration, a devastating stigma attached to their record, and serious limitations on your life. This makes it absolutely essential to mount a strong defense with help from a skilled and aggressive lawyer with a track record of securing positive outcomes in similar cases.
Domestic Violence
If you are accused of committing a violent crime against a family, household member, or a current or former intimate partner, then you may face very harsh consequences under Indiana’s domestic violence laws. Unfortunately, due to the volatile nature of these offenses, people find often themselves wrongly accused of domestic violence after a heated argument, during a divorce, or a child custody battle in order to get the upper hand. If you have been accused of a domestic violence crime, call us right away so we can help you tell your side of the story. 317-550-5339.
Sex Crimes
If you have been accused of committing sexual battery, rape, child molestation, sexual misconduct with a minor, child pornography, child solicitation, vicarious sexual gratification, or another Indiana sex offense, call an experienced Noblesville criminal defense attorney with SDHMR Law Group immediately at 317-550-5339. If you are convicted of a sex crime, in addition to possible jail time, you will be required to register as a sex offender. This makes your name, personal information, picture, and conviction information public, and creates a significant amount of stigma. It can be extremely hard to build a life after a sex conviction. Let us fight hard for you to avoid a conviction.
Weapons Crimes
If you are charged with unlawful gun possession, brandishing a weapon, or another weapons offense in Indiana, call SDHMR Law Group right away at 317-550-5339. You may be at serious risk of spending time behind bars and could permanently lose your legal right to own a firearm. Our Noblesville criminal lawyers are well-versed in Indiana weapons laws, including concealed carry permit law. We will aggressively defend against these charges and protect your rights.
Juvenile Crimes
The Indiana juvenile justice system is not the same as the adult criminal system. If your child was picked up by the police for a crime or delinquent conduct – like skipping school, shoplifting, or drug possession – call our juvenile criminal attorneys right away. 317-550-5339. We will immediately seek to have your child released into your custody. Then, we will aggressively pursue a result that spares your child from all the limitations of having a criminal record.
Federal Crimes
In many circumstances, you can be charged with a federal crime instead of a state-level offense. These often carry very still penalties and mandatory sentences, including high fines and lengthy terms of imprisonment. When this happens, it is important to work with an aggressive and highly skilled federal defense lawyer. At SDHMR Law Group, our attorneys have extensive experience in these complicated matters, and we know what it takes to effectively handle a federal case in the U.S. District Court of the Northern or Southern District of Indiana.
Probation Violations
When you are accused of violating a term of your probation, call SDHMR Law Group at 317-550-5339 for help defending yourself. If you failed to pay a fine, allegedly failed a drug test, or are charged with a similar crime to the offense you are currently on probation for, it could mean returning to custody. You may even face harsher than normal penalties because prosecutors and judges have little sympathy for these violations. We will work hard to prove you did not violate your probation or to mitigate the consequences of a violation.
Special Driving Privileges
You can lose your Indiana driver’s license in a variety of circumstances, such as a DUI conviction or accumulating too many points on your record. Unfortunately, despite having work and personal obligations, you may have to spend a significant period without a driver’s license. In these situations, you should talk with one of our criminal lawyers about specialized driving privileges (SDP). If you meet the eligibility requirements, we can file a petition with the court seeking SDP. The judge will review your circumstances and will determine whether you should be granted the right to drive to and from work, parenting time exchanges, medical appointments, or other obligations.
Possible Criminal Penalties in Hamilton County, Indiana
Criminal charges in Indiana are divided by their severity and the factors involved. If you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony crime in Indiana, you face:
- Class C Misdemeanor: Up to 60 days in jail and fines reaching $500.
- Class B Misdemeanor: Maximum of 180 days in jail and fines up to $1,000.
- Class A Misdemeanor: Up to one year in jail and fines up to $5,000.
- Level 6 Felony (Wobbler): Between six months and two and a half years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
- Level 5 Felony: Between one and six years and fines up to $10,000.
- Level 4 Felony: Between two and 12 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
- Level 3 Felony: Between three and 16 years of imprisonment and up to $10,000 in fines.
- Level 2 Felony: Between 10 and 30 years in prison and fines reaching $10,000.
- Level 1 Felony: Between 20 and 40 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction
If you are convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense in Hamilton County, IN, you can expect to deal with several consequences in addition to your statutory punishments. With a permanent criminal record, you may experience:
- Difficulties maintaining employment
- Challenges obtaining an education
- For certain convictions, ineligibility for federal student loans
- Ineligibility or difficulty obtaining certain professional licenses
- Modifications to your child custody rights
- Challenges traveling abroad
- Difficulties being approved for rental housing
- Difficulties being approved for auto or personal loans
Can Your Record Be Expunged?
Expungement allows for your criminal record to be permanently sealed from the public. However, expungement is not always allowed. You must be eligible under one of Indiana’s expungement laws. You should call our expungement lawyers in Noblesville right away at 317-550-5339 if you were arrested and not charged, charged but found not guilty, convicted of a misdemeanor, or convicted of a low-level, non-violent felony. Depending on your situation, you may petition a judge to seal your record after a certain period has passed without you being convicted of another crime. Sealing your record can be helpful when you wish to pursue additional education or career opportunities since this way, you do not have to declare your criminal record, and it will not come up on a background check for schools or employers.
Call a Hamilton County, Indiana Criminal Defense Attorney
When you are facing a criminal investigation or criminal charges in Hamilton County, the best first step is to contact an experienced and aggressive criminal defense lawyer. Our Noblesville attorneys at SDHMR Law Group are well-versed in Indiana law and have established relationships with the local and federal courts in Hamilton County.
Don’t let a single accusation, charge, or mistake change your entire life. To speak with us about how we can help you defend yourself, contact us at 317-550-5339, or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
