If you find yourself in a situation where you need help with a legal matter involving criminal defense, family law, or business law in Michigan, look no further than Olesko Law Firm. Legal issues can get complicated and escalate quickly, so it’s advisable to have an experienced attorney in your corner.
Don’t risk your future — or the future of your family or business. Work with a legal professional in the Flint, MI area who knows the laws and processes of the local, state, and federal courts. If you need a criminal, family, or business lawyer in Flint, MI, make Oleso Law Firm your first call.
Why You Should Work with an Attorney
If you’re facing criminal charges, are considering dissolving your marriage, or are embroiled in a business dispute, you need support from someone who knows the law. The services of a Flint, MI criminal defense attorney could keep you out of jail or from owing hefty fines.
An experienced family law attorney could help ensure you get the decision you need to secure your family’s future. Or, the counsel of a business attorney could ensure years of future business success. See what a versatile and committed attorney can accomplish by contacting Diana E. Olesko at Olesko Law Firm.
Representation That is On Your Side
Legal systems, trials, and courtrooms can be intimidating and overwhelming if you don’t have a seasoned and dedicated lawyer looking out for your rights and best interests. Olesko Law Firm will stand with you throughout the entire process, fighting unrelentingly to get you the most favorable and best possible result.
We will fight for your freedom, protect your legal rights, and work diligently to meet the goals you have in mind. We’ll put our efforts toward ensuring that you proceed through the legal process as painlessly as possible. We can help with legal challenges such as:
Helping Your Family and Your Business from Start To Finish
Olesko Law Firm, PLLC will give you an honest and confidential assessment of your matter. Fees and costs are known upfront, and since most cases are flat fees, there are no surprises or hidden costs.
Olesko Law Firm, PLLC can help you take control of your personal and professional life. We offer legal services legal services in mediation, criminal defense, family law, estate planning, litigation, and business matters. We serve Genesee County.
Call now to speak with an experienced attorney: 810 620-3490
What Types of Court Hearings Take Place in a Criminal Case?
If you are facing criminal charges in Michigan, depending on the circumstances of your charges, you will likely be required to appear in court for several types of hearings. You will want a skilled criminal defense lawyer in Flint MI representing you at these court dates to ensure your rights are protected while defending against these charges.
Arraignment Hearing
The arraignment is where you have your first court appearance after you have been arrested. You will be advised of your constitutional rights. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one for you. After being advised of the charges against you, you will be asked to enter a plea of not guilty, guilty, or no contest. The judge will set bail or release you on your own recognizance. If bail is set, then you will be remanded to the custody of law enforcement until you are able to post the amount set.
Pretrial Hearing
During the pretrial hearing, the prosecution and defense teams exchange discovery (evidence they will be presenting at trial). This is also where both sides can file motions with the court regarding suppression of evidence, setting aside the complaint, or dismissing the case. You are also allowed to change your plea from guilty to no contest at the pretrial hearing. Your Flint MI criminal defense lawyer will be able to provide you with the appropriate legal advice for this situation.
Preliminary Hearing
Preliminary hearings are held for all felony charges. During the preliminary hearing, the court will determine if the prosecution has provided enough evidence to prove that the defendant committed the offense. If not, the judge can dismiss the charges.
If there is sufficient evidence and the case will move forward, the court refers to this as “held to answer.” The complaint against you is now referred to as “information.” The prosecutor will file the information document and you will need to be arraigned again within 15 days of the preliminary hearing date.
Trial
The majority of trials are jury trials. A jury is selected by both the prosecutor and defense attorney. The evidence is presented to the jury, who will then make a decision of guilty or not guilty. If the jury finds a defendant not guilty, they are free to go and cannot be tried again on those same charges. If the jury finds a defendant guilty, the judge could either sentence them immediately or continue the case for sentencing at a later date.
Some defendants choose to have a court or bench trial. This is where the judge is the only one who hears all the evidence and then decides whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.
Five Potential Consequences of Conviction
If you’re facing accusations of criminal wrongdoing, don’t wait another day before connecting with a reputable criminal defense lawyer Flint, MI residents trust to represent their interests. There are too many consequences associated with a criminal conviction that you’ll want to avoid if at all possible. The experienced and compassionate legal team at Olesko Law Firm can aggressively fight to mitigate the risk that you’ll have to face these five consequences and many, many others that are often associated with a criminal conviction.
One: Incarceration – Jail or Prison
Chances are that you do not want to spend one single day away from your family, your job, and the comforts that are associated with your everyday access to freedom. However, if you are sentenced to a term of incarceration in a jail or prison, your time and your space will no longer be your own. Although many people navigate a term of incarceration successfully and feel that they have learned valuable lessons from their time spent behind bars, we want you to be able to spend your time as you see fit and to learn any lessons that you may benefit from in other ways. We will fight aggressively to keep you out of jail and out of prison.
Two: The Burdens of a Criminal Record
As any experienced Flint criminal defense lawyer at Olesko Law Firm can attest, keeping your criminal record clean is the best course of action, if doing so is at all possible. Having a criminal record can make it significantly more difficult for you to obtain employment, housing, credit, higher education, and even volunteer opportunities. Even if you are innocent, even if you are only convicted of a misdemeanor, and even if your alleged wrongdoing is highly circumstantial, if there is a conviction on your criminal record it will follow you around for the rest of your life unless you can get it expunged.
Three: Fines and Mandates
Many criminal sentences result in community service requirements and requirements to attend anger management classes, substance abuse treatment, and to serve terms of probation. Any mandates that force you to take time away from work and family against your will should be avoided when possible. If you could benefit from some counseling or other treatment, we’d rather you be able to choose that path for yourself instead of having it forced upon you.
Four: Economic Woes
If you are incarcerated, you will likely lose your job. If you are not incarcerated, a criminal conviction will make it more difficult for you to get employment in the future. Supporting yourself and your family is a hard enough task as it is without adding stresses to the endeavor. Avoiding a conviction will benefit you economically and that isn’t a small victory.
Five: Family Law Trouble
If you are navigating a child custody matter or your child’s other parent is likely to hold a criminal conviction against you, it is important to connect with the experienced Olesko Law Firm team to keep alleged criminal wrongdoing off of your record so that it can’t be used against you in family court. As anyone who has ever had to fight for child custody or parenting time knows, the stress of risking time with your kids can be nearly unbearable. Contact the knowledgeable Flint criminal defense lawyer team at our firm today to defend your rights and your right to remain in your child’s life.
Criminal Defense Lawyer in Flint MI
You may have an occasional criminal offense, or you have been facing a sentence for many decades, or you were charged with homicide. Whatever case you have, it is very important that you should hire the right criminal defense lawyer in Flint MI from Oleska Law Firm to defend yourself in court.
What is a criminal defense lawyer?
A criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer who defends people against criminal charges. Criminal charges can be brought by a government agency or by a private individual. A criminal defense lawyer can also be called an attorney for the defense or public defender.
What type of cases do they handle?
A criminal defense lawyer can handle any type of case that has been charged as a crime by local or state law enforcement agencies. However, most lawyers specialize in one area of law such as white collar crime or DUI (driving under the influence) cases.
The most common types of cases handled by criminal defense lawyers are: DUI/DWI (driving under the influence), drug possession, domestic violence, assault and battery, theft, burglary, and robbery. If you have been charged with any crime, it is important to hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Flint MI from Oleska Law Firm as soon as possible.
How do I know if I need a criminal defense lawyer?
It depends on the nature of your charges and whether you have been arrested or simply contacted by law enforcement about a possible crime. If you have been arrested, you should always consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney before talking to police or prosecutors. A good criminal defense lawyer in Flint MI from Oleska Law Firm will be able to give you guidance about what to do and say, as well as protect your rights during questioning and throughout the entire legal process.
If you are accused of a felony offense, such as murder or assault with intent to kill, then it is best to get an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Flint MI from Oleska Law Firm who can help protect your rights and freedom. On the other hand, if you are facing misdemeanor charges such as possession of marijuana or driving under the influence (DUI), then hiring an attorney may not be necessary.
What is entrapment?
Entrapment is a legal concept used in criminal cases where law enforcement has encouraged someone to commit a crime that they otherwise would not have done. The idea behind entrapment is that it shouldn’t be possible for someone to be convicted if they were only acting as part of an investigation into possible crimes committed by others, and not out of their own volition.
What does probable cause mean?
Probable cause refers to the standard used in determining whether or not an arrest can take place without violating an individual’s constitutional rights. In order for an arrest to be legal, there must be enough evidence that a crime was committed, and that it was done by the person arrested. The reason this standard is so important is that it’s one of the few protections that citizens have from being detained by police and then charged with crimes they didn’t commit. What is entrapment? Entrapment occurs when a police officer or government agent induces someone to break the law and then arrests them for doing so.
Contact Our Firm Today
If you are facing criminal charges, do not try to defend against these charges on your own. Call Olesko Law Firm to schedule a free consultation with a dedicated Flint MI criminal defense lawyer.
Criminal Defense Lawyer FAQ
Is it okay to talk to the police after my arrest?
As a Flint MI criminal defense lawyer from Olesko Law Firm would suggest, it’s best to not answer questions from police after your arrest. If you say anything during or after your arrest, this may be used against you later in court. Many people assume that they can talk their way out of an arrest and that the officer will be on their side if only they provide an explanation. What ends up happening is such statements are used to further incriminate the accused. Unless you are providing necessary details such as your name during the booking process, you should not answer questions or offer more than what is needed from you.
When is it possible to talk yourself out of an arrest?
The chances of being able to explain yourself out of an arrest is slim to none. Once an officer has made a certain conclusion about what you may have done, they are going to go forward with the arrest. It’s better to be cooperative than try to fight it. Your instincts may suddenly urge you to try and fight off the officer or purposefully not engage with law enforcement at all. Withholding personal details that are required during booking or refusing the arrest can result in additional charges being filed against you. Cooperate, then contact a Flint criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
What if the officer didn’t read me my Miranda rights?
Law enforcement are supposed to read you your Miranda rights during what is called “custodial interrogations”. Ultimately, this means that you must be within police custody along with basically being placed under arrest, and an officer has to be asking you questions for these rights to be read mandatorily. If you don’t remember your officer reading you the Miranda warnings, let your lawyer know immediately. This may affect your case by any statements you offered while police were questioning you can no longer be used against you in the criminal trial.
How else can I help create a defense for myself?
It is imperative that you take swift action after being released from prison. You have to begin preparing your defense promptly. Take time to write down how your arrest happened from your perspective. Include details even if they don’t seem relevant at the time. Try to contact those who saw your arrest, so that your lawyer can get an official statement from them to use for your defense case. If you were physically injured during the arrest, get a medical examination and treatment. Medical documents will be influential in showing how the officer harmed you, especially if they used excessive and unlawful force.
If you have more questions or concerns and need help with a criminal defense case, contact our team at Olesko Law Firm without delay. Time is of the essence when developing a defense strategy. Contact a Flint criminal defense lawyer soon after your arrest so we can come to your aid and defense.