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Criminal Defense Attorney Phoenix

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Being charged with a criminal offense is a serious matter. In most instances, you could face jail or prison, fines, probation, and more. For sex crimes and crimes of domestic violence, there are often enhanced penalties. 

Regardless of the nature of the offense, you need criminal defense attorneys on your side who not only have a deep understanding of the statutes and legal processes for the Phoenix area but who also have a history of beating criminal charges. 

Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux is a top-tier Arizona law firm that has successfully represented hundreds of clients in the Phoenix area criminal courts. If you’ve been charged with a crime, contact Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux to get in touch with a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer today.

Why You Need the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux

In order to convict you, the state must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. However, not all criminal defense attorneys are adept at raising that doubt. Our attorneys have an established record of success when it comes to reducing penalties, getting charges dropped, or beating criminal charges in court. 

The Types of Cases Our Criminal Defenses Attorneys Handle

Many law firms only represent certain types of clients who have been charged with crimes in their area of expertise. At Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux, we believe that everyone deserves a professional criminal defense, regardless of the difficulty of the case or type of crime. Here are some of the types of a misdemeanor, felony, and traffic offenses that we handle:

  • DUI
  • Burglary
  • Robbery
  • Drug Crimes
  • Property Crimes
  • Violent Crimes
  • Sex Crimes
  • Domestic Violence Crimes
  • Assault and Aggravated Assault
  • Fraud & White Collar Crimes
  • Rape and Sexual Assault
  • Cybercrimes
  • RICO & Organized Crime
  • Vehicular Manslaughter
  • Homicide
  • Child abuse or neglect
  • Juvenile crimes
  • Wiretaps

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you want Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux to defend you in a criminal court, call us to discuss your case.

Public Defender vs. Private Criminal Defense

All criminal defendants have the right to legal counsel, whether they can afford one or not. That means that you can opt for a public defender if you choose. But that decision may not be in your best interest. Here’s why:

  • Public defenders are overworked and understaffed.  Sometimes, this means attorneys are overwhelmed and cannot pay adequate attention to each case in their caseloads, which means that they’re often unable to dedicate sufficient time to your case. 
  • The heavy caseload often leads to overwhelming pressure to clear cases and make room for the new cases coming in. 
  • Public defenders are often excellent attorneys, however, there are times where your case may not be handled by the public defenders offices themselves, but rather by outside attorneys who are on contract.  Those contract attorneys can lack the supervision and resources that come with public defenders offices, and as a result, the contract attorneys may miss key information that could impact the outcome of your case.  

At Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux, our veteran criminal defense lawyers manage their own caseloads. We intentionally keep our caseloads law, with our attorneys carrying on average 12-18 felony cases at a time, whereas attorneys from public defenders offices can carry up to ten times as many cases at a given time.  Our attorneys are able to devote the time, focus, energy, and attention to the cases that they deserve. Additionally, our attorneys are not under any pressure to stretch their resources. Your case is our top priority. 

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As veteran criminal defense attorneys, our legal team brings combined decades of experience to our cases. We have a solid reputation in the Maricopa County criminal justice system that both judges and prosecutors know and respect. 

How a Criminal Defense Attorney Builds Your Defense 

Many individuals who have been charged with crimes want to know how a criminal defense attorney will build a defense for their case. While every case is unique, these are some of the steps an experienced defense lawyer will take to establish a defense:

Client Interview 

Your criminal lawyer will need to know all the details about the client and the case. You can freely discuss the details of your case under the protection of attorney-client privilege. It’s essential that you’re honest with your attorney about your involvement in the crime that you’re accused of committing, as well as the relevant background and details.  The more information the attorney has at his or her disposal, the more he or she will be able to successfully represent you and achieve a favorable outcome. 

Case Review 

If you retain our services, you will be represented by one of our attorneys for the duration of your case. At Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux, we apply a team based approach to all of our cases.  We regularly meet as a team to discuss each client and each case to get input from all of our experienced attorneys to formulate the best path to success in every case we take on.  As the client, you have the right to access all discovery evidence the prosecution intends to use in court, and you will work along with us to formulate the best strategy to win your case. Our legal team will collect police reports, affidavits, witness statements, photos/videos, etc., used to bring charges against you. 

Our attorneys also work with private investigators to gather helpful evidence on your behalf and use it to your advantage when the time is right.  Our firm has unparalleled success in conducting defense investigations which demonstrate our client’s innocence and get charges dropped and cases dismissed.

Subpoenas and Interviews

Our attorneys and our private investigators will locate and interview all of the State’s material witnesses against you, including the investigative team, arresting officers, and/or witnesses. We will then review their testimony and look for inconsistencies and flaws. In addition, we will conduct a robust defense investigation and locate and interview witnesses who are helpful to your defense.

Develop a Legal Strategy

Once we have reviewed all of the evidence against you and developed any additional information, we will begin to develop your defense. This involves looking for flaws in the prosecutorial case, including illegal police procedure, violations of your constitutional rights, and anything else that demonstrates a lack of probable cause. 

This overview is a simplification of the criminal defense process. For a more involved discussion, contact Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Defense

If you’re seeking a criminal defense attorney in Phoenix, or anywhere in the State of Arizona, you probably have questions about your legal defense. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by defendants along with answers from our professional legal defense team. 

When should I hire a criminal defense attorney?

Ideally, you should hire a lawyer as soon as you discover that you’re the subject of an investigation. If you know that the police are considering bringing charges against you, contact a criminal defense attorney. Phoenix law firm Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux can serve you better if we’re involved early.

If I plan to plead guilty, do I still need a criminal defense attorney to represent me?

You should always have legal representation when dealing with the police or prosecutors. Even if you are planning on pleading guilty, you will be faced with a range of penalties. An experienced lawyer can negotiate with the prosecuting attorney to get you a more favorable outcome. Your attorney won’t talk you out of your decision, but they can potentially make your life a lot easier.

How do I establish a good defense strategy for my case? 

Ultimately, it’s your attorney’s job to develop your defense strategy, but there are things you can do to help or hurt your case. For example, you should defer any questions from the police or prosecutors to your attorney. Even if the questions are seemingly innocent or appear to be unrelated to your case, don’t try to answer without first talking to your lawyer. Do not discuss your case with anyone other than your attorney. You could unintentionally complicate your case or inadvertently create new witnesses for the prosecution. 

How does attorney-client privilege work?

If you tell your attorney information about the crimes you’ve been accused of, they are not legally required to disclose it, even if it’s an admission of guilt. There are exceptions to attorney-client privilege. For example, attorney-client privilege does not apply if you are planning to further a crime or commit new crimes. Your criminal defense attorney should inform you about the limits of attorney-client privilege. 

Protect Your Rights With a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer

Whether you’ve been accused of drug crimesviolent crimes, sex crimes, or some other type of criminal offense, you have the right to the best defense you can obtain. In Phoenix, AZ, that starts with a call to Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux Don’t trust your future and freedom with anything less than a professional private criminal defense lawyer. Call Hernandez | Hamilton | Lamoureux today!

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Client Testimonials

Clay Hernandez and Josh Hamilton are some of the most competent Lawyers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. They are dedicated, hard working and honest! They are some of the top Lawyers in the legal community and you couldn't have a better legal team on your side!

Lacee

To say that Josh Hamilton saved my life would be an understatement. Facing an incredibly ugly situation, I shopped around for an attorney for a while until I came across Mr. Hamilton. From day one I knew I had found the representation I needed. Josh fought tooth and nail for me and got me the best outcome, considering the dire straits I was in. His staff is incredibly helpful and friendly and Josh's ability and knowledge of the law is second to none. I could not see myself facing a hell like this again with anyone else at my side. A simple "thank you" will never be enough for all that Josh and the staff of Hernandez and Hamilton did for me.

Ox Inator

If you need a criminal defense lawyer then Josh Hamilton is definitely your guy!! Not only is he beyond brilliant.. and amazing at what he does! But he is a very caring and compassionate person. I highly recommend him!! He worked very hard on my case and got it dropped!!

Racquel Vera

The absolute 100% best. I cannot stress how much I appreciate and how grateful i am for Josh and Carol. They took up my brothers case in 2018 and never left him since. Their work is excellent and speaks volume. The complexity of the case will have anybody fearful and doubtful but not them. Right from the start they maintained a positive vibe and their professionalism is exceptional. I am so happy i found them back when me and my sister in law were googling appellate lawyers. If i could hug them now i would. My brother was released two days ago and even though the case is not done i am pretty sure the end results will be a good one. God appointed the right lawyers and they are not in it for the money they truly are genuine in fighting for victory and they know what happened to my brothers were not right and they fought tooth and nail and for that i just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Grateful forever and ever!

King Black

I had a potential federal case come before me in my work environment. I called and they were so willing to work with me on getting into an in person consultation even though I was 2 hours away. We spoke on the phone, and then had a meeting I specifically spoke with Clay. He was knowledgeable and had a defense prepared before I even left the consultation. With everything still being in process, all I can tell you, based on my experience with him, he will fight until the end and he won't give up!

Cynthia Bass

Hernandez & Hamilton are top-notch attorneys. In hindsight I would NOT have considered hiring any other attorney to take care of my legal matters. Hernandez even traveled out of state to represent me over 2000 miles away, in Ohio, IN THE WINTER. :) Thank you for all you have done for me and my family!!!

Kari Turner

The best thing about this law office is their dedication. Josh never stopped working for us, never stopped believing that there would be a great outcome and even when it looked like all hope was lost, he kept working until we got the outcome we were looking for. I would recommend this office to anyone looking for an attorney. If they believe they can help, they will!!

Sarah Tecco

I contacted Mr. Hamilton regarding a case involving my brother. From the moment we spoke on the phone, he made feel like we were in the right hands. We discussed the case, went over the pro´s and con´s reaching a desicion to move fwd with the case. Mr. Hamilton is extremely well prepared and very knowledgagle. My brother got a very long punishment that was not justified and because of his commitment to the case and his great team effort, they got my brother a reduced sentence to time served. Now, thanks to Mr. Hamilton and his team, my brother is able to reunite with his three kids and his brothers. We are for ever thankful for your hard work and commitment. Thank you for believing in whats right! Blessings from our entire family.

Eghector

Josh Hamilton is top-notch: knowledgeable, accessible, hard-working and honest. No better lawyer in town.

Jeff Welter

I highly recommend Josh Hamilton to resolve your legal issues.The staff at Hernandez and Hamilton were very professional and friendly.Thank you Josh,Julie, Roni, and Olivia for everything that you all did for us. Have a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous new year..

Gillbert Encinas

I have owned a private investigation company in Arizona for a quarter century and worked with both of these lawyers for many years. These attorneys are honest, extremely competent, and truly care about their clients. Both are exceptional advocates.

Randy Downer

Josh is one of the best lawyers out there. He has helped me in multiple situations and has gotten me off every time. He’s professional about everything and I highly recommend him.

Timothy Marshall

I needed the best attorney in town and Josh did not let me down. If you want an aggressive pro-active team representing you, this is the outfit to go with. Best in class.

Organic BTI

I hired Hernandez & Hamilton to take care of a friend who had a bit of a tough situation. They took care of him easily and kept the cops honest. Very happy.

Danton Foster

Best lawyer in town. Josh and everyone else working with him at his law office go beyond to help you every step of the way. I would highly recommend for your criminal defense attorney.

Martin Lopez

Fantastic work by Josh and his team, they are very professional. Thank you for your help in our case. You and your team managed to get my brother released on the spot and cleared of all charges.

Eftimi Etzoglou

If you want the best of the best? Look no further because Clay and Josh are definitely it. HANDS DOWN.

Amanda Wade-Mcmickle

I can't thank Josh Hamilton enough and his team for what they did for our family to give us peace knowing that we got the best law firm the best lawyer and the out come was amazing thank you for all your knowledge your hard work your dedication once again thank you Josh and your team.

Alley Prudhomme

Excellent firm with outstanding attorneys and staff. They work extremely hard and get amazing results for their clients.

Adam dippel

This legal team is at the top of their game when it comes to representation and dedication. Truly a 5 Star law firm from beginning to end.

Mary Domoto-Hill

Mr. Hamilton is an absolute beast and he handled my problem like a Sunday drive. Absolutely the best attorney anywhere.period. thank you again Mr. Hamilton. Five stars across the board.

James Stewart