First Time Offender Lawyer

Many people who find themselves entangled in the criminal justice system are usually law-abiding individuals who have made one mistake. Your mistake and your upcoming appearance in a criminal court doesn’t have to define you. With the right legal assistance, you can get through your first — and hopefully only — encounter with the criminal justice system.

We have considerable experience in handling first time offense cases. It is our goal to get you through the legal system with as little stress as possible and with the most minimal damage to your future. We are available to explain your legal options to you, and will fight to ensure that you get the best possible outcome for your individual case.

First Time Offenders Have Several Options Available

If you’re a first time offender, you have several options depending on the crime you’ve been charged with.

Pre-Trial Intervention: First time offenders may qualify for pre-trial intervention (PTI), sometimes known as pre-trial diversion. Pre-trial diversion is essentially very similar to a period of probation, which typically lasts 6-18 months and is supervised by the State Attorney’s Office. The key difference between pre-trial intervention and probation is that after a successful conclusion of your period of pre-trial intervention, your charge will be dismissed permanently without a conviction on your record. After the charge is dismissed, you may be able to get your record sealed and possibly expunged.

Not everyone will qualify for pre-trial intervention. Certain offenses, such as Driving Under the Influence (DUI), do not qualify, and no one is entitled to pre-trial intervention for any offense as a matter of law. Whether or not you are accepted into the program is completely within the discretion of the State Attorney’s Office. The assistance of a skilled and knowledgeable first time offense attorney can make a big difference in your application for pre-trial intervention and help ensure that it is accepted.

Drug Court: Another option that may be available to the first time offender. Drug court is a way for non-violent drug offenders to seek treatment for their substance abuse issues. If you successfully complete the drug court conditions, you may be eligible to receive a withhold of adjudication. A withhold of adjudication means that you have not been convicted of the offense.

We Represent First Time Offenders Charged With:

First Time Drug Offenses — possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of oxycodone, and possession of any other controlled substance
First Time DUI Offenses — including DUI with property damage and DUI manslaughter
First Time Theft Offenses — including petit theft, grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and worthless check cases
First Time Traffic Offenses — including driving while license is suspended or revoked, driving an unregistered vehicle, no valid driver’s license
First Time Violent Crime Offenses — including assault, battery, aggravated battery, domestic violence
First Time Gun Crimes or Weapon Offenses — including carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a concealed firearm, gun possession, and others
First Time Juvenile Offenses