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205-981-2450
Jefferson County, located in the heart of Alabama, is the state’s most populous county with almost 700,000 residents. Formed in 1819 by the Alabama legislature and named for Thomas Jefferson, Jefferson County contains most of metropolitan Birmingham – Alabama’s largest city and center of commerce – in addition to the communities of Bessemer, Hoover, Leeds, and many more.
Long associated with the iron and steel industry, the county is now a major transportation hub home to Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport and several major railways. Additionally, every major Interstate that runs through Alabama passes through Jefferson County.
Being the subject of a criminal investigation can prove to be a traumatic experience that affects your personal and work relationships. That is why it is so important to contact a Jefferson County criminal defense attorney as soon as you are arrested to get much-needed advice on how to cope with the trying times ahead.
While a good attorney will certainly help with the purely legal aspects of your case, he can also provide guidance on how to deal with the emotional stress that comes with the threat of a criminal conviction. Just knowing that you have a trained legal advocate in your corner can provide you with peace of mind and confidence that your rights will not be compromised.
Aside from the toll, a criminal charge takes on your personal life, the prospect of a criminal conviction promises very real and very serious legal repercussions. Because you face a threat to your personal freedom, you want to make sure that your legal defense is as good as it can possibly be.
A trained attorney can perform a thorough investigation to assemble all of the evidence needed to do so, and the earlier you obtain representation the better. The Alabama criminal justice system gives you the right to representation, and you should exercise that right by hiring a criminal attorney.
Our office is located at 850 Corporate Parkway, Suite 114 in Birmingham and is easily accessible from anywhere in Jefferson County. From I–459, take exit 19 onto US–280 East and turn right onto Corporate Parkway. You will see our office on the right.
We are dedicated to fighting for the rights of motorists facing serious criminal charges, including charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. At Alabama Criminal Lawyers, we believe strongly that every motorist facing DUI charges in Jefferson County deserves immediate access to experienced legal representation.
It’s a mistake to take these charges lightly. Even when they are filed as a misdemeanor, drunk driving charges carry serious penalties. A first-offense drunk driving charge in Alabama is punishable by up to a year in jail and a 90-day license suspension.
While it may be unusual for a first-time offender to spend a year in jail, a quick guilty plea or no contest plea and probation can leave that time hanging over your head. Failure to successfully complete the requirements of probation can result in a jail sentence with little or no ability to contest the penalties down the road.
More than 14,000 motorists are charged with DUI in Alabama each year, according to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, making it among the most common charges filed in the state. The challenge often lies in the fact that so many who are charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs have little or no experience with the criminal justice system.
A quick plea to a prosecutor’s first offer is a mistake for a whole bunch of reasons:
If not properly structured, requirements of probation or other orders of the court can be difficult to comply with and may lead to additional legal problems; a conviction can result in job loss or the inability to hold certain jobs or occupational licenses and may need to be disclosed on job applications throughout your working career. And having a drunk driving charge on your record is a really good way to get stopped and charged again.
Penalties for subsequent offenses can result in jail time of a year or more. And, in case you think there is little chance of being busted again, consider this:
About 50,000 motorists in Alabama have three or more DUI convictions on their record. Do you think they are hopelessly irresponsible alcoholics or do you think it’s just as likely they are being stopped by police officers looking for offenders who see the conviction pop up on their driving record? Ask an offender how easy it is to be pulled over in the year or two after a conviction and we suspect you will get your answer.
By some estimates, a drunk driving conviction may cost as much as $20,000, including fines, jail time, missed work, court costs, treatment and probation fees and increased insurance premiums. Don’t go it alone.
Contact Alabama Criminal Lawyers today at (205) 981-2450 for a free consultation.