Federal and State Criminal Defense
You have a United States and New York State Constitutional Right to have an attorney represent you during your criminal proceedings. U.S. Const. Amend. 6 & 14; N.Y. State Const. Art I, sec 6. The Supreme Court of the United States and the New York Court of Appeals has determined that your attorney must represent you effectively. Strickland v Washington, 466 US 668 [1984]; People v Baldi, 54 NY2d 137 [1981].
We understand that concept and how it should be applied to our clients. We do not practice the rapid processing of cases without due regard to the person who is charged. That is assembly line justice and Smalls Law PLLC does not stand for that! It is insensitive and often it results in the ineffective assistance of counsel. A criminal defendant deserves much more than that irregardless of what the charges are. Simply, every person deserves the right to effective representation during all stages of the criminal proceeding.
Yes, we are aware that as of 2019, over 90 percent of criminal cases ended in a guilty plea. NY Law Journal, May 6, 2019. We are equally aware that the system pressures people to make choices that are irrational and against their interest. As the state government arrests and prosecutes more people, it becomes even less possible to ensure that the innocent can resist these pressures to plead guilty. From the first moment a person is charged, most prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges have an interest in a speedy resolution. Yes, you do have a right to a speedy resolution, but you also have a right for the criminal justice system to get it right the first time. We understand this. Smalls Law PLLC will stand up against those pressures and fight for your rights.
We handle each case separately with painstaking focus and zeal. It is about the win for us. A win for us is what our practice is about. With over ten years of criminal experience, we are equipped to effectively represent you during your criminal proceedings and we are driven toward the outcome that satisfies our clients and our client only.
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