Criminal Law
When you or a loved one find yourselves facing criminal charges, it can feel like all of the cards are stacked against you. The justice system is incredibly complex and antagonistic to those that are being charged with a crime, and aside from minor traffic violations, it is absolutely necessary to get reliable representation to help you fight the charges. With over 20 years of experience defending clients from all walks of life that have found themselves on the short end of the justice department’s stick, and receiving numerous “not guilty” and case dismissals, you can count on Karalus Law to fight diligently for the best possible verdict. Even if you are completely innocent of the charges against you, that doesn’t mean that the prosecution won’t do everything in their power to win the case.
On this page, we’d like to provide you with some information to help you gain a better understanding of criminal law, the process, as well as steps that you need to take in order to protect your future. If you are currently facing serious charges, don’t hesitate to reach out to Brian Karalus as soon as possible to get the most dedicated criminal defense attorney on your side.
In order to live in a civilized society, laws are a necessity to deter crime. What constitutes a crime in the United States is determined by the state and the federal government, and the punishments are decided based on the severity of the crime. Less serious crimes are known as misdemeanors and carry punishments up to a maximum of one year in county jail as well as fines and possible educational classes. Misdemeanors include petty theft, public intoxication, reckless driving, vandalism, and more.
Felonies are on another level. Defined as a serious crime, often involving violence, the penalty for a felony conviction is usually imprisonment for more than one year and hefty fines. Felony crimes include but are not limited to:
As well as white-collar crimes such as forgery and fraud. When one is charged with a felony, it is not a matter to take lightly. Having a felony on your record can change your life entirely in a very detrimental way. As a felon the fines that you will have to pay will severely affect your finances, your time will be consumed by the justice department, and it will become nearly impossible to find a respectable job or even a nice place to live. Not to mention, the system wants to keep a hold of you and has been set up in a way that makes the possibility of finding yourself in trouble with the law again. Recidivism rates in the United States are astronomical.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics performed a study tracking 401,288 state prisoners following their release from incarceration. Around 68% of these prisoners were arrested within three years of their release, 79% within six years, and 83% within nine years. It seems like our system is focused more on keeping people in it than providing them with rehabilitation.
This is why when you find yourself in trouble with the law, it is so important to reach out to a criminal defense lawyer immediately. It’s in order to protect your future.
The criminal process almost always begins with a stop or an arrest. It is important for us to differentiate these two since they are not the same. A stop is when an officer detains you in order to question you without taking you to a separate location. Keep in mind that you are not under arrest during this time, and that you are not legally obligated to answer any of their questions. Depending on the situation, they may also ask to search your vehicle. In order for them to be allowed to do this, they need to have probable cause. You have the right to say that you do not consent to their search. They may still do it anyway, but if it is later found that they did not have probable cause, you will be happy that you did not consent and the case might be dropped then and there.
The officer is able to arrest you if they have reasonable suspicion to believe that you have committed a crime, or they actually caught you in the act. Following your arrest, it is the officer’s duty to read you your constitutional rights, known as your Miranda Rights, such as your right to remain silent and the right to seek the advice of a criminal defense attorney. During this moment, they may try to sway you into talking in order to “help yourself out in the situation,” but this is just a ploy they use to get more evidence to use against you. You do not want to tell the officers anything until you have spoken to a lawyer.
After you have been read your rights, they will arrest you, charge you with a crime, and bring you in to get booked. You will be thoroughly searched, fingerprinted, your name will be put into the official database, as well as your charge, and your personal belongings will be removed. Depending on the severity of your charge and the circumstances, it is possible that you will be released and be given a date to appear in court. You may also be held in custody until your bail is paid.
In extreme situations, you will be held until your hearing. If this is the case for you, you will be asked to enter a plea. Your options are “guilty”, “not guilty”, or “no contest”. This is another time where you should not make a rash decision without first speaking with your criminal defense lawyer. If you have pleaded guilty or no contest, they will forego a trial and your sentencing will be immediately or at a later date. If you claim “not guilty”, then your case will go to trial. In this situation, you need to have an experienced lawyer to fight your case. Many lawyers are intimidated by trials and avoid taking those cases. Not Brian Karalus, he thrives on using his vast knowledge of criminal law to stand up for the rights and freedom of his clients in court.
"I have never known a lawyer to win more trials than Brian Karalus. If I had not personally confirmed (I am a lawyer myself) his percentage (roughly 97%) I would never have believed it. Any lawyer who wins 75% is elite and there are probably only a few in the state that can do even that. To win almost everyone he ever tried is simply an inimitable gift. I know who'd I hire if I ever got accused."
- Stephen G. 7/20/18
When you have been charged with a serious crime, there is no question whether you should hire the services of a defense attorney or not. You do not want to take your case on by yourself, no matter how confident you are regarding your innocence. You also don’t want to have the state assign an attorney for you. Public defenders see countless cases and are never fully committed to a specific client. Just trying to handle the case and move on to the next one. The following are the top reasons why you should contact Karalus Law for legal representation in Minnesota.
The Law is Complex
As previously stated, the law is not simple and there are a lot of loopholes in the justice system. Without having extensive knowledge of criminal law, you’ll likely put yourself into a corner if you try to take the case on by yourself with little to no experience in law or its processes. Brian Karalus has dedicated his career to becoming the best attorney in Minnesota.
Access to Witnesses and Experts
In law, criminal defense attorneys rely on a network of connections with professionals that have the ability to discover evidence or testimonies that can help the case or information that can challenge the evidence put out by the prosecution.
Correct Documentation and Procedures
If a document is not filed correctly or meet the deadlines that are required, it could completely ruin your case. You want the legal documentation and procedures to be by the book so that your case is sound.
Know the Best Strategy
Brian Karalus has seen countless cases throughout his 20 years in law, so he has seen cases similar to yours and knows the best strategy to get you the highest probability of a positive verdict.
Negotiating Skills
Being able to negotiate in a court of law is a must. Even when all of the evidence is pointed at you, working with the prosecution and the judge can lead to a fair settlement.
Free Consultation
Here at Karalus Law, we want to help our clients in any way that we can. Therefore, we offer free initial consultations. This means that you won’t even have to pay a dime to get sound advice and learn the strategy in which will be taken to handle your case.
What a Criminal Lawyer Does
The United States Constitution states that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. In order to avoid a guilty verdict, a criminal lawyer will use their knowledge and experience to fight the charges. By gathering all available evidence including police reports, witness testimony, documentation, and much more, your attorney will build a case based on this evidence and the facts at hand in order to give you the best chance at a positive result. Brian will do everything in his power to fight for your rights so you can rest easy knowing that your case is in capable hands.
At Karalus Law, we don’t shy away from the big cases. In fact, that is our specialty. We believe that everyone deserves to have proper representation no matter how severe the charges may be. The following are a few of the crimes that we handle:
It goes without saying that murder is the most serious charge that you can be facing, therefore you need a lawyer on your side. Minnesota does not allow for the death penalty, but if you do not have a good strategy and don’t present a good case, then you’re going to be spending the rest of your life behind bars.
You may have thought that murder and manslaughter were the same thing, but what separates the two all boils down to intent. With manslaughter, the accused likely had no intention to commit the crime but was acting recklessly with the knowledge that there was a risk that someone could be fatally injured.
There are five degrees of physical assault, each determined by the severity of the situation and with varying punishments. If facing first-degree physical assault, one is looking at up to $30,000 of fines and a maximum of twenty years in prison.
In the state of Minnesota, there are many things that can constitute someone being charged with theft. Sometimes this can become complicated and will require the expertise of a trustworthy criminal defense lawyer to break down the evidence against the accused.
Like other crimes, arson has five degrees and are determined by the circumstances of the crime. This includes whether the fire was started in a dwelling, explosives were used, as well as intent.
And More
Protecting Your Future
The fact of the matter is, no matter the severity of the crime, being convicted will change your life, and not for the better. Even if you know of your innocence, that does not mean that you are off the hook and that hiring a lawyer is unnecessary. If you or someone that you are close to has been accused of a serious crime, then you want to take action immediately so that a strategy is built to defend you. Contact Karalus Law today to get the representation that you or your loved one deserve.
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