Criminal Lawyers in Jackson, Mississippi

If you are facing criminal charges in Jackson, Mississippi, you need a criminal lawyer like Ballard Law, PLLC on your side. Our criminal lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi can review your case, look at the evidence police have against you, and help you understand your options going forward. It is important to remember that you are innocent until proven guilty. If you are under arrest, tell police that you want to remain silent and ask to speak to your lawyer.

The consequences of having a criminal charge on your record can be immense. Not only might you be facing jail time, but you might also face collateral consequences, which can include issues accessing certain types of federal aid programs. For example, some of the collateral consequences of a DUI can include a driver’s license suspension and increase in insurance costs. Other collateral consequences can include the loss of professional licenses, difficulty obtaining certain types of jobs, and deportation if you are in the U.S. on a Green Card.

Ballard Law, PLLC defends clients facing a range of criminal charges. What are some cases we may be able to handle? Here are some types of criminal charges where we may be able to help:

• DUI Charges
• Drug Possession
• Misdemeanor Charges
• Felony Charges

The idea of facing jail time or criminal charges can be overwhelming and frightening. Ballard Law, PLLC is a criminal attorney in Jackson, Mississippi who may be able to assist you with your case. Our firm can review your situation and help you understand what the next steps should be.

Should I Take a Plea Deal in Jackson, Mississippi? 

If you have been arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, you are innocent until proven guilty. Police may say they have evidence proving your guilt, and they may offer you a plea deal. Before accepting a plea deal for misdemeanor or felony charges, it is important to understand the consequences of having a criminal record, and to have a criminal law firm in Jackson, Mississippi like Ballard Law, PLLC review your case. Ballard Law, PLLC can review the evidence that police have, determine whether the state has a strong case, and help you understand whether accepting a plea deal is a good idea. In some situations, a plea deal may be the best course of action, while in other instances, it may be in your best interests to seek a jury trial. If the state’s evidence is weak, or if officers made errors when arresting you or gathering evidence, your criminal law firm may be able to get charges dropped, get charges reduced, or may be able to convince a jury to turn in a verdict of “not guilty.” Contact Ballard Law, PLLC, a criminal attorney in Jackson, Mississippi today to learn more about whether accepting a plea deal is right for you.

Criminal Defense in Jackson, Mississippi

There are many ways that a criminal lawyer can protect your rights in Jackson, Mississippi. What are some common criminal defenses that your lawyer may be able to use? Here are a few:

• Police Violated Your Constitutional Rights. When making an arrest, police must respect your Constitutional rights. Police can only stop you if you have violated a law. Police must have a warrant or probable cause to search your person or your property. If police racially profiled you, searched your property without your permission, or if police failed to read you your Miranda warnings when you were arrested, evidence gathered may be dismissed in court and your charges may be dropped. Ballard Law, PLLC are criminal lawyers in Jackson, Mississippi who can review the circumstances of your arrest and look at the way evidence was gathered.
• If you have an alibi for where you were when a crime was committed—that is, if someone else can attest to seeing you or being with you when the crime was committed, your criminal attorney may be able to get your charges dropped or may be able to get you acquitted.
• If you were mentally incapacitated at the time a crime was committed, you may be able to claim insanity as a defense. Generally, this requires a psychiatrist to make an official diagnosis and this defense can face a high level of scrutiny in court.
• Self-Defense. If you hurt another person or killed another person to prevent that person from harming you or other people, you may be able to claim self-defense.
• If you made an honest mistake or error and are being charged with a crime, you may be able to claim “mistake of fact.” An example of a mistake of fact defense would be one where you believed you were permitted to borrow something, say, a friend’s bike, but then later face charges for stealing the bike. If you can show that you honestly believed you were only borrowing the bike and that the charges are the result of a misunderstanding, you may be able to get your charges dropped.
• If undercover police entrapped you by convincing you to commit a crime you otherwise would not have committed, you may be able to use the entrapment defense. You may need to show that you otherwise might not have committed the crime that officers encouraged you to perform. Having no former criminal record could be a strong defense in this case. An example of this would be a person who otherwise might not have sold drugs, making the choice to acquire drugs and sell them to an undercover officer claiming that if he or she doesn’t get the drugs, he or she will die or suffer some other consequence.
• Statute of Limitations. Different crimes have different windows of time in which police can press charges. Some crimes have no limit. If you have questions about statute of limitations, Ballard Law, PLLC are criminal attorneys in Jackson, Mississippi who may be able to assist you.

These are just some of the criminal defenses that may be available to you. For DUIs and drug possession charges, there may also be more specific criminal defenses available. Ballard Law, PLLC is a criminal defense law firm in Jackson, Mississippi who may be able to assist you in fighting your charges. Contact us today.

Protecting Your Rights in Jackson, Mississippi

When your reputation, your freedom, and your rights are on the line, you need a criminal defense law firm on your side that can protect your rights. Ballard Law, PLLC is a criminal lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi who may be able to help you and fight for your rights. Contact our law firm today to learn more.