Being charged with a crime can be one of the most traumatic events in anyone’s life. At the Law Office of Matthew M. Foti , we understand what you are going though, and we are here to protect your rights, reputation and freedom.
An Arraignment takes place if a person has been arrested by the police or has received a summons in the mail after the incident took place. This is when the court will read your charges and you will enter a plea. An arraignment will also be scheduled if you have received a traffic ticket with a criminal offense listed and did not request a clerk magistrate’s hearing within the 4-day time limitation. The District Attorney’s office can request specific conditions of release and or request bail. If the office requests bail, you will have to go to a bail hearing shortly after the arraignment.
The Pre-Trial ConferenceAt this court appearance, the defendant and his or her attorney discuss the case with the prosecution. Sometimes, cases are resolved at the pre-trial conference, but if no favorable agreement can be reached the case remains on trial track.
The Motion HearingAlthough not every case has a motion, after review of the police report and or other relevant material your attorney can request a motion to suppress or motion to dismiss date. Sometimes, the motion hearing could lead to a complete dismissal of the case.
The TrialAfter your case makes it to trial, an attorney will be your advocate in the courtroom and the prosecuted party will also argue their case. Some trials have a single judge, but others can have up to six people in the jury.
The SentencingIf you are found guilty, the judge will determine your sentence based on recommendations given by the attorney defending you and the side of the prosecuted. In general, this process takes place immediately after the trial.
If you or someone you know needs criminal defense...