For more than 17 years, Attorney Daniel Larin has practiced exclusively in criminal defense. He is well-prepared to protect your constitutional rights and takes pride in clearly explaining to his clients their rights and the penalties they face if convicted. He has a no-nonsense, simple approach to make sure clients feel prepared for court.
Attorney Larin's role is to vigorously defend your rights, while keeping you informed of legal processes, such as:
The initial judicial proceeding. At an arraignment the defendant enters a plea of guilty, no contest, or not guilty and the magistrate or judge sets a bond to assure your appearance at court for future proceedings. The court may require a cash bond or may order a "personal bond," which does not require any money, for your release. In many courts, an attorney can waive the arraignment and avoid the actual appearance of his or her client.
The next step in the process is a pre-trial conference. The defendant and his or her attorney must appear. At this hearing, the prosecutor and defense attorney will meet to discuss the merits of the case. Cases are often resolved at pretrial by plea bargaining. If the parties cannot reach a resolution, however, the pre-trial conference is usually adjourned to allow counsel time to file any motions.
Cases are tried either before a jury or, if all parties agree, before the judge without a jury. The trial can end in a guilty verdict, conviction on a lesser offense, or an acquittal. If the defendant is acquitted, the case is over and any bond is refunded. If the defendant is convicted he or she will generally be required to report to the probation department for a pre-sentence interview and sentence recommendation.
At the sentencing, the court allows the defendant and counsel to review the probation officer's report and recommendations and offer any corrections or other observations as they think appropriate as to sentencing. The court will then impose its sentence.
An experienced Birmingham DUI defense attorney is prepared to protect your rights. Contact Daniel J. Larin, P.C. at 248.237.6701 to schedule your complimentary one-hour case review.
