Toledo Felony Defense Lawyer

Have you been charged with a felony in Toledo? It is extremely important to have an experienced Toledo criminal defense attorney on your side to assist with your case. In the event that you are convicted of a felony offense, you can face serious penalties, including imprisonment, steep fines, and the loss of certain rights. Even after you serve out your sentence, having a felony conviction on your record can have severe repercussions. For instance, you may not be eligible for certain jobs or other business opportunities, you may not be eligible for certain

student loans, government loan eligibility can be limited in general, and your ability to participate in various realms of civil life can be restricted. You do not want to face the serious penalties associated with a felony charge, and you do not want to have a felony conviction on your record. You will need experienced counsel on your side to begin preparing your strongest defense. An experienced Toledo felony defense lawyer can assist you.

TYPES OF FELONY OFFENSES IN OHIO

Chapter 29 of the Ohio Revised Code governs criminal laws in Toledo. There are numerous types of felony offenses in Toledo, Ohio, including but not limited to:

• Murder, including aggravated murder;
• Assaults against peace officers;
• Assaults against pregnant women;
• Rape;
• Sexual battery;
• Kidnapping;
• Certain drug offenses;
• Theft (greater than $500 in value);
• Human trafficking; and
• Felony domestic violence.

For a free legal consultation with a felony lawyer serving Toledo, call (419) 930-3030

THE FELONY PROCESS IN OHIO

FELONY DEFENSE CASES ARE COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT. CALL GROTH & ASSOCIATES TODAY FOR HELP UNDERSTANDING YOUR RIGHTS AND TO MAKE THE PROCESS EASIER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

If you are charged with a felony in Toledo, Ohio, what can you expect to happen? In brief, there are a number of major steps that typically are involved in the felony process, including the following:

• Felony charges: after you are arrested for a felony offense, if there is sufficient evidence, you can be charged with a felony. Once you have been charged, you will become a defendant in a criminal case, and the prosecutor will represent either the State of Ohio or Lucas County.
• Arraignment: once you have been charged with a felony offense, then there will be an arraignment in which you will need to plead. Typically, a person charged with a felony offense will plead either “not guilty” or “guilty,” but it is extremely important to discuss your case with an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Toledo prior to your arraignment. Your lawyer can help you to determine how to plead, and can also help you build a strong defense in your case.
• Indictment: after you have been charged and arraigned, there will typically be a grand jury, which can result in an indictment. If you are indicted, that terms means, in effect, that the state or county is formally charging you with the felony offense, and your case will go to trial and sentencing (unless there is a guilty plea).
• Trial: while there are additional pretrial steps that will occur before your case gets to trial, the next major stage of the felony case is the trial. Ohio law stipulates that the trial date must be set “for a day not later than thirty days after the date of entry of the plea of the defendant.”
• Sentencing: if you are convicted of the felony offense at trial, then the case will go to sentencing. Depending upon the specific type of felony crime for which the defendant were convicted, there will be a range of penalties. Typically, the judge will look at a number of different factors to determine what the appropriate sentence is in the particular case.

The stages of a felony offense are complicated, and it is extremely important to reach out to an Ohio criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible in your case. You will need to begin working on a defense strategy with your attorney and thinking carefully about trial preparations.

Criminal Defense Lawyer Near Me (419) 930-3030

PENALTIES FOR TOLEDO FELONY CONVICTIONS

If you are convicted of a felony, you will be facing serious penalties that can impinge upon your freedom. Depending on the felony degree—with first degree felonies being categorized as the most serious of all felony charges—the sentence can vary. Under Ohio law, the following penalties can apply to Toledo felony charges:

• 1st Degree Felony: penalties of 3-10 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000;
• 2nd Degree Felony: penalties of 2-8 years in prison and fines of up to $15,000;
• 3rd Degree Felony: penalties of 1-5 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000;
• 4th Degree Felony: penalties of 6-18 months in prison and fines of up to $5,000; and
• 5th Degree Felony: penalties of 6-12 months in prison and fines of up to $2,500.

How will your ultimate sentence be determined? Specific felony offenses are classified according to the degree. According to a felony sentencing guide from the Supreme Court of Ohio, the overriding purpose of the sentence is to “punish the offender and protect the public from future crime by the offender and others.” The sentencing guide indicates that judges should use the “minimum sanctions that the court determines accomplish the purposes without imposing an unnecessary burden on state or local government resources.” In other words, if judge believes that the minimum punishment specified by the degree of the felony is enough to punish the offender and to protect the public, then the minimum sentence may be appropriate.

FACTORS CONSIDERED IN FELONY SENTENCING

What factors does the court consider in each felony sentencing? If you are convicted of a felony offense, your sentence—including prison time and monetary fine—can depend upon a number of factors, including but not limited to:

• Whether the conduct involved in the felony offense is “more serious,” which can involve situations such as those in which the victim was of a particularly young age or suffered serious harms, the defendant was in a position of authority or was motivated by prejudice, or the crime occurred in connection with domestic violence;
• Whether recidivism is more or less likely, which can be influenced by factors such as the defendant’s history of criminal convictions or patterns of alcohol or drug use; and
• Veteran status of the defendant.

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CONTACT A TOLEDO FELONY CHARGES LAWYER

Were you recently charged with a felony offense? You should not wait to seek assistance from an experienced Toledo felony charges lawyer. The sooner you begin working with an experienced defense attorney, the sooner we can begin building a defense that fits the specific facts of your case. Contact Groth & Associates today to learn more about how we can assist in your defense.

Call or text (419) 930-3030 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form