You need an attorney on your side who believes everybody is innocent until proven guilty. You need an attorney who is not afraid to take your case to trial and fight for you.
Laufman, Jensen & Napolitano, has two criminal defense attorneys with the skill and experience to take on the government and protect your rights.
Call us to speak privately about how we can help you with your situation. And if you would like to learn more about how we help our clients,
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Crimes in Ohio
Our criminal attorneys at LJN Law Firm, routinely handle cases in all areas including:
- Appeals
- Car insurance issues
- Driver’s license issues
- Drug offenses, Drug possession
- DUI
- Financial Crimes
- Military offenses
- Probation violations
- Sex crimes
- Theft offenses
- Trafficking offenses
- Violent crimes, including domestic violence
- White collar crimes
Crimes in Ohio are classified as either felonies or misdemeanors. Felonies are more serious crimes punishable by a maximum sentence of imprisonment for a term of one year or more. In Ohio, felonies are brought before a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Misdemeanors are defined in Ohio as offenses other than felonies that are punishable by imprisonment for a term of less than one year. In Ohio, misdemeanors are brought before a judge of a county Municipal Court.
Persons charged with a felony have certain procedural rights that do not exist for misdemeanors. Among them is the right to a probable cause hearing, a hearing to determine if there was probable cause to arrest the suspect, within 48 hours of the arrest. Also, felony charges are typically brought before a grand jury. The grand jury is a collection of people much like a jury in a courtroom. Their job is to determine whether there is enough evidence to formally bring charges against (or “indict”) a person, reduce the charges to some other offenses, or ignore the charges completely.
Felony and misdemeanors are often referred to in an abbreviated fashion. For example, a felony of the first degree is sometimes referred to as an “F-1”, while a misdemeanor of the fourth degree would be a “M-4.” With certain restrictions (murders, rape, OVI offenses, etc.) the following are the general guidelines for jail time and fines in the State of Ohio:
| F-1 |
3 ≤ x ≤ 10 years |
≤ $20,000 |
| F-2 |
2 ≤ x ≤ 8 years |
≤ $15,000 |
| F-3 |
1 ≤ x ≤ 5 years |
≤ $10,000 |
| F-4 |
6 ≤ x ≤ 18 months |
≤ $5,000 |
| F-5 |
6 ≤ x ≤ 12 months |
≤ $2,500 |
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| M-1 |
≤ 180 days |
≤ $1,000 |
| M-2 |
≤ 90 days |
≤ $750 |
| M-3 |
≤ 60 days |
≤ $500 |
| M-4 |
≤ 30 days |
≤ $250 |
| Minor Misdemeanor (Trial ≤ 30 days from arrest or service of summons) Fine ≤ $150 |
Why LJN?
Hiring the right attorney might be the most important decision you or a member of your family makes. But, which attorney is right for you? You should consider the following when deciding whether to hire any criminal defense attorney.
LJN attorneys have over 30 combined years of legal experience in criminal law. LJN attorneys have been involved in the prosecution and defense of individuals at the local, regional, national and even international levels. -
LJN attorneys are decorated veterans of the United States military. We have argued cases in some of the most prestigious courts in the world. We are active and take leadership positions in civic organizations and bar associations.
LJN attorneys realize that criminal charges can jeopardize many of your fundamental rights, including your freedom. We at LJN take that as seriously as you do and we commit ourselves to providing 100% effort for your case.-
When deciding whether to hire a criminal attorney, money is, and should be, a factor in the decision. LJN’s attorneys keep your pocketbook in mind when discussing rates with you. LJN also accepts most major credit cards.
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Having a clean criminal history is very important. A conviction can jeopardize an individual’s opportunities to get or keep certain jobs, obtain federal grants or loans, win custody battles or even rent an apartment.
If you have been charged with a crime while on community control or on post-release control, you need legal advice and representation to ensure your rights are considered both in that case and in a subsequent violation hearing. -
LJN attorneys are sensitive that criminal charges can wreak havoc in a person’s personal life. Many times simply the mention of an arrest can be devastating to one’s family, social or work environment. LJN attorneys will work with you to make sure information stays confidential.
LJN attorneys take the time to discuss the criminal justice process with every client to make sure each decision is made with a full understanding of the issues and options available. When the stakes involved could affect your freedom, hire an attorney who makes the time to speak with you and who returns your telephone calls.
LJN attorneys have formally served as prosecutors. This brings insight into the mind of the attorneys representing the city and state that other attorneys may not have.
LJN’s main office in Cincinnati, Ohio, is located just a few blocks from the state and federal courthouses. LJN attorneys frequently meet clients at its northern satellite office for those located north of the cities who find it hard to make it to downtown Cincinnati during normal business hours.
Expungements:
Expungement is a legal process in which an individual asks a court with jurisdiction over a conviction (or non-conviction) to “seal” that individual’s criminal record with respect to that offense. Even though the record is sealed, there are certain limited circumstances in which the conviction can be considered by others. However, most times an expunged criminal conviction record becomes erased in the eyes of society.
Since a judge is not obligated to grant an expungement, many people hire criminal defense attorneys to help them through the process and to represent them at the expungement hearing.
- The conviction was the first and only offense in that person’s criminal history in any jurisdiction whatsoever (not just Ohio);
- The individual has not been convicted of any other crime since;
- The offense is not specifically excluded from expungement, such as convictions when the offender is subject to a mandatory prison term; convictions of a felony of the first or second degree, convictions for certain sex offenses, convictions for certain driving offenses, convictions of certain offenses involving violence, convictions of certain offenses when the victim was under the age of eighteen, and certain bail forfeitures;
- Time has passed (for felonies, three years from the time the case has been completed, including community control; for misdemeanors, one year from the time the case has been completed, including community control);
- You pay a non-refundable processing fee.
An individual can qualify for the expungement of a non-conviction (ignored case, dismissed case, verdict of “not guilty”, etc.) if it was the first and only offense in any jurisdiction whatsoever and that individual has not subsequently been convicted of any other crime. There is no fee to have a non-conviction expunged. Many people in this situation feel strongly about having this blemish expunged from their otherwise spotless record.
If you think you might qualify for expungement of a conviction or non-conviction, contact a LJN attorney at once to discuss your case.
Bonds:
A bond allows one arrested and suspected of committing a crime is allowed to pay something of value (usually money) in exchange for release while a case is pending. The person promises to appear in court for all scheduled criminal proceedings or risk having the money taken by the court.
Courts consider various factors when considering what bond to impose in a case, including
- The seriousness of the crime;
- The accused's criminal record;
- The danger that the accused's release might pose to the community; and
- The accused's ties to family, community, and employment.
You have been charged with a crime. Do not face the power of the police and the government alone.
