The possibility of going to prison or jail and serving time behind bars is frightening and depressing. Fortunately, it is becoming more common in Ohio and other states for defendants to be offered a “suspended sentence” in exchange for pleading guilty.
Every year, thousands of Columbus residents are charged with a crime. According to statistics by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Columbus has the second-highest number of violent crimes in Ohio. However, not everyone who gets arrested and charged with a crime goes to jail or prison.
Any time you find yourself enmeshed in the criminal justice system, you need to ensure you’re working with a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney. And, at no time is this truer than if you must go to trial on criminal charges.
According to the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio reported 140,852 arrests to the FBI (excluding traffic citations) as part of the national Uniform Crime Reporting Program in 2020; 16,005 of those arrests were for drug offenses, and 9,668 were DUI offenses.
If you need help with a Title IX issue and you're in the Columbus, Ohio area, including neighboring areas like Dublin, Westerville, Gahanna, Hilliard, or surrounding counties like Licking County, Fairfield County, or Delaware County, contact an attorney right away.
Any violation of Title IX can result in serious consequences, and the accused must face a hearing to determine their guilt. Unfortunately, these hearings are more common than you might think.
Anyone who has been issued a restraining order knows how frustrating the situation can be. These kinds of orders are issued to restrict a person’s contact with another person, usually in situations where there is a history of violence or threats.
Have you been pulled over by a police officer and had your car searched without your consent? Have you had a search warrant executed at your home or workplace? If so, it's important to know your rights under the Fourth Amendment. In Ohio, a search and seizure can only occur if there is probable cause, as is the case with most other states.
Posting bail can pose a tremendous hardship on those arrested and their families, because without it, you’re forced to remain in jail. Plus, many families are simply unable to come up with the needed money. In fact, according to the ACLU, upwards of 12,000 people are held in jail each day in Ohio who haven’t yet been convicted, and many of them are there because they couldn’t afford bail.
From watching movies and TV shows filled with courtroom drama, we’re conditioned to believe that eyewitness testimony is always the deciding factor in criminal cases. However, the validity of eyewitness testimony can actually be questionable and while it certainly does play a big role in a criminal trial, it’s essential to understand its limits and its potential risks.
