A white collar crime lawyer is an attorney who specializes in helping citizens accused of white collar crimes navigate their criminal liability cases. A conviction for white-collar crimes often results in jail time, home detention, fines, community confinement, forfeitures, supervised release, imprisonment, and/or restitution to the victim. Lawyers for white collar crime can help you if you have been accused or are attempting to recover money or assets lost through fraud.
Experienced lawyers white collar crime helps defend the rights of persons accused of such crimes. Though the facts of cases vary, an effective attorney, engaged in the early stages of the matter, can assess the facts, advise on the best course of action, and help resolve the issue without going to trial.
Hire a white collar crime lawyers near me as soon as you learn that you are being investigated for financial fraud or when you are served with a search warrant. Forms of white collar offenses include:
Before hiring attorneys white collar crime, do your research and work toward finding someone with the following attributes:
Specialization. Focus your search efforts on lawyers specialized in a field of interest related to your case. An attorney experienced in federal criminal defense will serve you well if you are being investigated for a white collar crime.
Search white collar crime attorneys near you. An attorney near you will be conversant with your state’s laws and requirements. Further, since the complexity of white collar crimes requires significant legal knowledge, local attorneys or white collar crime law firms will be more accessible to you than those farther away. However, you may want to look for an attorney with litigation experience in the federal justice system.
Accolades and reviews. Using Lawrina Match, consider if the attorney has any accolades, such as awards for outstanding performance. Read through reviews left by former clients and only shortlist those with positive reviews or awards for your initial consultations.
Proven results. You want to work with someone with experience representing clients in similar situations. If you are being investigated, ask the attorney if he or she has experience supporting a process to close investigations without criminal or civil charges. When charges are inevitable, determine the attorney's legal strategies to minimize liability.
Criminal defense white collar crime attorney near me will likely charge between $200 and $750 per hour. Fees may add up from $2,000 to $15,000, depending on the attorney’s level of experience and the complexity of your case.
A white collar crime attorney may or may not charge for an initial consultation. Clarify with the attorney about potential charges when you call to book the meeting. During an initial consultation, the best white collar crime lawyer listens to the facts of the case, and you can gauge his or her suitability.
For this meeting, bring any relevant documentation or evidence that may help give the attorney a clear picture of your circumstances and your legal issue. After the meeting, the attorney will provide you with preliminary legal advice and, if you decide to hire him or her, will develop a more detailed plan later. White collar crime specialists may bill you for subsequent meetings according to the agreed hourly rate.
The main difference between corporate crime and white collar crime is the motivation behind the crime. With a white collar crime, an individual commits fraud for personal gain. In a corporate crime, the individual commits fraud for the company’s benefit. Because of who stands to gain, charges against corporate crimes are brought against the company while white collar crime charges are brought against an individual.
White collar crimes are prosecuted at either the state or federal level. Because most of these crimes cross state lines, they are mainly charged at the federal level. Such crimes are also very complex. Unlike district courts, federal courts have the resources to carry out investigations and bring in expert witnesses to help them and the jury understand the complex issues of the case.
Prosecutors are usually very aggressive and aim to put the criminal in jail. The process usually starts with investigations into financial fraud or misconduct. Once the federal agencies think they have sufficient evidence to convict, they forward the matter to a prosecutor. A judge will issue an arrest warrant if convinced by the prosecutor that there is probable cause that a crime was committed. The prosecutor will also ensure that the suspect does not use proceeds from a financial crime to cover his or her bail.
If the suspect can post bail, he or she will be arraigned in court, and the judge will inform the suspect of the charges and ask for a plea of guilty or not guilty. With a not guilty plea, the hearing will begin.
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