{"id":183,"date":"2015-06-19T15:41:44","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T15:41:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yourtemporaryurl.com\/scharfenberg\/?page_id=183"},"modified":"2016-02-15T14:30:10","modified_gmt":"2016-02-15T14:30:10","slug":"suffolk-county-misdemeanors-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/yourtemporaryurl.com\/allcriminalmatters\/suffolk-county-misdemeanors-lawyer.html","title":{"rendered":"Misdemeanors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Suffolk County Misdemeanor Defense Attorney<\/h1>\n

\"Suffolk<\/p>\n

Being arrested for any crime in Suffolk County can be a frightening, confusing experience, and although misdemeanors carry lighter sentences than felony convictions<\/a>, it is nonetheless crucial to take a misdemeanor charge seriously. These charges, divided into Class A and Class B Misdemeanors, could land you in jail and impose havoc on your professional, social, and family life. In the long term, having a criminal record showing misdemeanor convictions detrimentally affects your ability to find a good job or take out a loan, and if convicted of a future crime, the sentencing can be significantly harsher.<\/p>\n

You will need a staunch criminal defense attorney<\/a> in your corner to fully represent your case to the judge and jury and to ensure any misdemeanor you may have committed does not get escalated to a felony offense by an overly-zealous prosecution. I have over 20 years of experience defending all types of misdemeanor\u00a0offenses, from simple indecent exposure to borderline-felony assault cases.<\/p>\n

Differences Between Violations, Misdemeanors, and Felonies<\/h2>\n

The first thing to note when convicted of a misdemeanor is that these crimes aren\u2019t as heavy as a felony. If convicted of a felony, you may be facing anywhere from a year to life in prison; however, the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor is\u00a0only up to one year in the county jail\u00a0and no more than $1,000 in fines. Sometimes, the fines will equal to double the monetary amount received in the crime, such as with theft.<\/p>\n

Violations are the lowest and least serious offenses, and note that violations are not \u201ccrimes.\u201d A maximum sentence cannot exceed 15 days in jail and an offense doesn\u2019t create a criminal record. Violations can include everything from disorderly conduct to unlawful possession of marijuana, and violations do not include traffic infractions.<\/p>\n

\"Suffolk<\/p>\n

Classes of Misdemeanors in Suffolk County<\/h2>\n

Similar to felonies, there are different classes of misdemeanors according to New York Penal Law. This includes both Class A misdemeanors<\/a> and Class B misdemeanors<\/a>, the former including the more serious crimes. A simple way to differentiate the two is to look at the types of crimes involved with Class A and Class B as well as the differences in sentencing.<\/p>\n

For example, Class A misdemeanors can result in sentences from no jail time to a maximum of 12 months, maximum fines no more than $1,000, mandatory state charges, up to three years of probation, conditional discharges, community service, and potential driver\u2019s license suspension. Some common Class A misdemeanors could include:<\/p>\n