Felony Criminal Defense Lawyer in Northern Utah Can Fight For You

Protecting Your Constitutional Rights During Criminal Prosecutions

Any criminal charge is a serious matter, but a felony conviction can change your life forever with years of incarceration, crippling fines, loss of rights, and future difficulties obtaining employment. Prosecutors frequently devote substantial time and resources to pursuing these serious charges, and media involvement can even become an issue. That is why felony defense stands in a league of its own and requires the intervention of criminal defense attorney Ken Peterson who has the prior experience of prosecuting felony charges and can use that knowledge to put up a zealous and effective defense. Ken stands ready to provide you and your family the counsel and support you need if a felony charge or investigation has impacted your life.

When Does Your Charge Become a Felony?

A felony is a crime punishable by one year or more in prison or by death, while a misdemeanor is a crime punishable by less than a year in jail. Some crimes, such as drug offenses and theft can be classified as either felonies or misdemeanors depending upon the circumstances of their commission. Utah has several classifications for felonies:

Capital crimes, such as murder, carry a life sentence and can invoke the death penalty.
First-degree felonies, such as taking a police officer’s firearm, aggravated robbery with serious injury to the victim, and serious stalking crimes, can carry a penalty of between 5 years to life in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Second-degree felonies, such as manslaughter, aggravated robbery, and serious drug crimes, can incur one to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Third-degree felonies, such as repeat DUIs, theft of a certain amount, domestic assault, gun or weapon charges, and certain white-collar crimes, can result in zero to 5 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

How Defense Attorney Ken Peterson Assists You

If you are charged with a felony in Utah, you have the right to legal counsel and to have an attorney present during questioning. To avoid incriminating yourself, you should refrain from answering questions posed by investigators or the police until you have the assistance of an attorney. Moreover, an experienced attorney can identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, ask the court to exclude evidence obtained in violation of your rights, and make legal arguments that the charges levied do not fit your alleged conduct and that a lesser charge would be more appropriate. In many cases, a defense attorney can get a case dismissed prior to trial. In others, prosecutors agree to a lesser charge or sentence in exchange for a guilty plea.

At Northern Utah Law, defense attorney Ken Peterson adheres to the belief that anyone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Ken treats each client with the utmost respect and is sensitive to their needs and concerns during what is always a very trying time. He is always ready to fight for you but provides an honest assessment of your situation and the evidence you are facing.

Northern Utah Law is Committed to Defending Your Rights

If you or a loved one is facing a felony charge in Utah, it has likely become the focus of your entire life. As a client of Northern Utah Law, you can expect defense attorney Ken Peterson to treat your case with the same priority and urgency that you do. With vital prior experience prosecuting felonies in Utah courts, Ken brings a full set of skills and resources to bear for you. Contact Northern Utah Law online to schedule a consultation or at your place of confinement if necessary.