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Criminal Defense

criminal defense

New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorney

The Law Office of Michele Alcalde covers a great many types of criminal defense, specializing in Crimmigration — the branch of law in which criminal law and immigration law overlap. For nearly two decades Michele Alcalde has been assisting non-citizens as they try to navigate the swirling waters where these two branches of law intersect. Because immigration status is usually adjudicated in federal courts, and most criminal matters are handled in state courts, it is important, if you are a non-citizen arrested for a crime, to seek the counsel of an attorney, like Michele, who is equipped to work in both venues. Michele Alcalde not only has well-honed skills for dealing with immigrants who have been charged with crimes in the U.S. She also has a track record of successful outcomes.

Criminal Defense For Immigrants (Crimmigration)

For a non-citizen, a criminal conviction can have a direct impact on your immigration status and may even lead to deportation. For this reason, it is essential that you make sure to engage the services of a criminal defense attorney who has in-depth knowledge of immigration as well as criminal law.

Crimes the Law Office of Michele Alcalde Handles

As a skilled criminal defense attorney, Michele Alcalde is well-prepared to listen carefully to your story in order to plan and execute the best defense possible. Familiar with NJ 2C Code and Municipal Court Directive #9-11, Michele knows all too well the dangers of deportation for non-citizens who get into trouble with the law. She tries to ensure that any plea negotiation you enter will, in addition to gaining you a reduced sentence, save you from immigration consequences and keep your family together.

Michele routinely assists clients who have been arrested for:

  • Criminal Mischief
  • Criminal Trespass
  • Disorderly Conduct
  • Domestic Violence and violating restraining orders
  • DWI, DUI, or driving while suspended or revoked
  • Harassment
  • Possession of Marijuana or other illegal drugs
  • Shoplifting
  • Simple Assault
  • Theft

Having worked as a municipal court prosecutor, a public defender, and a private defense attorney, Michele knows the art of criminal defense from varying perspectives. Because she is an agile negotiator as well as a talented litigator, she may be able to keep your case from going to trial.

Penalties for Crimes Committed in New Jersey

It is important to realize that committing any of the above-mentioned crimes in New Jersey may result in harsh penalties. Depending on the particular circumstances of your case, for example, how much marijuana you are accused of possessing, or how many miles per hour over the limit you were traveling when arrested for speeding, you may only have to pay a small fine, or you may be subject to high fines and imprisonment. As a non-citizen, even if you manage to avoid deportation, you may have difficulty getting or keeping your green card or becoming a naturalized United States Citizen as a result of a conviction. In any case, being arrested must be taken very seriously. You can count on Michele Alcalde to do just that.

How the Law Office of Michele Alcalde Defends You

At our office we always begin with the presumption of your innocence. Guided by the principle that you are “innocent until proven guilty, we have the necessary resources to protect you from the brunt of legal prosecution and are fully prepared to investigate your case thoroughly. Once we listen carefully to your story, examine all pertinent evidence and interview all witnesses, we will create a strategy with which to approach the court. Michele Alcalde has the legal acumen to evaluate the weight of evidence against you and proceed accordingly. She is committed to working hard to protect your rights and your freedom.

Possible Defenses the Law Office of Michele Alcalde May Use

Michele Alcalde, as a highly capable criminal defense attorney, has many methods of defending you against criminal charges. The tactics she uses, of course, will depend on the nature of the charge and the circumstances of your arrest. In some cases, she is able to question the law enforcement procedures used prior to and during your arrest. It is important to find out, for example, if the police had a legitimate reason for stopping and/or interrogating you in the first place. If they used ethnic or racial profiling, or were otherwise discriminatory, we may be able to quash the arrest entirely. Other factors that may be questioned are:

  • Whether police officers had just cause to search your car
  • Whether police had a search warrant to enter your home or place of business
  • Whether you were read your Miranda rights in a language you could understand
  • Whether instruments used to test your speed or your breath were recently calibrated
  • Whether breath or blood tests were administered properly
  • Whether bodily fluid samples may have been mixed-up or contaminated
  • Whether you were treated harshly or intimidated in an effort to force you to confess

For non-citizens, the possibility of discriminatory behavior on the part of law enforcement has a higher probability than average. The Law Office of Michele Alcalde will address this issue both in terms of the original arrest and in terms of intimidating treatment afterwards. Since law officers know as well as we do that immigrants, even innocent ones, are easily intimidated, especially in today’s environment, they may take advantage. Having Michele Alcalde in your corner will level the playing field and make it possible for you to get a fair hearing.

Call Us! Llamenos! Chame-nos!

If you are a non-citizen who has been arrested in New Jersey, do yourself and your family a favor and get in touch with the Law Office of Michele Alcalde by phone or by filling out a contact form on our website. We look forward to helping fight for your freedom and your right to realize the American Dream.