Lynnwood Criminal Defense Attorneys
Defense Lawyers Serving Mill Creek
Finding the right defense attorney can be difficult, especially when you're dealing with something as potentially life-changing as a criminal charge or even informal allegations. In these cases, you need a competent legal professional that you can rely upon to provide you with the hard-hitting counsel you will require every step of the way. You need the experienced criminal defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Lance Fryrear on your side.
As Lynnwood criminal defense attorneys who have been working in this field for years, we know how to provide our clients with the defense representation they need. Our firm includes a former prosecutor, Attorney Lance Fryrear; we know how to use our experience on the "other side" to provide counsel that is that much more effective in protecting our clients' freedom.
contact us online or Call today at (425) 224-7075 to schedule your case consultation with an experienced Lynnwood criminal defense attorney.
Cases We Handle
- Drug Crimes
- Juvenile Crimes
- Sex Crimes
- Domestic Violence
- Property Crimes
- Restraining Orders
- Violent Crimes
- Theft
- Weapons Charges
- Traffic Infractions
- Harassment
- Internet Crimes
- Fish & Wildlife Violations
- Stalking
- Record Expungement
- Kidnapping
- Disorderly Conduct
- DUIs
- Reckless Driving
- Probation Violations
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Hit & Run
Lynnwood Misdemeanor & Felony Defense attorney
MISDEMEANORS VS. FELONIEs
In the State of Washington crimes are broken down into two categories: misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanors involve crimes for which a person can be fined and jailed for up to a year. Crimes involving sentencing for over a year are Felonies.
Although misdemeanors are the lesser of the two categories, they are still nevertheless serious and need to be dealt with skillfully in order to minimize the damage these can bring to one's life.
There are two categories of misdemeanors in the state of Washington:
- Gross Misdemeanors - punishable up to one year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.
- Simple Misdemeanors - punishable up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
The exact punishment of the misdemeanor will also depend on your prior criminal history. If this is a first offense you may be eligible for an outcome that does not involve a criminal conviction. However, more serious misdemeanors can bring more severe penalty and a criminal conviction can impair aspects of your life, such as not being able to secure a job due to the conviction.
Maximum Penalties
Felonies are the most serious type of crime, particularly those of a violent nature; you need to contact a Lynnwood criminal defense attorney with knowledge, skills and experience to assist you in getting the most successful outcome possible.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for a felony your life is about to change. Felonies are defined as any crime that carries a maximum penalty of over one year jail (oftentimes 5, 10, or 20 years in jail maximum). Misdemeanors, on the other hand, carry a maximum penalty of just one year in jail.
Felonies Can Only Be Charged by the Prosecutor
Most misdemeanors can be directly charged by a police officer. In other words, for misdemeanors, an officer can write the suspect a citation that actually charges a crime (like DUI or Theft) and then the matter is automatically prosecuted in court. For felonies, however, a police officer does not have the power to actually charge a felony.
In Washington State, a police officer can only arrest a suspect on suspicion of a felony, or on probable cause. If an officer arrests a suspect on probable cause to believe a felony has been committed, the officer is required to file a probable cause statement with the court and the prosecutor.
The prosecutor then has 3 court days to file a charge, or the suspect must be released. If no charge is filed within that time frame (as is often the case), the prosecutor then has up to 3 years—for most felonies—to decide whether or not to file charges. This means that for many felony arrests, there may still be time for the defense to provide information that could keep the arrested person from being charged with a felony.
If you are your loved one has been arrested on suspicion of a felony, it is imperative that you contact a Washington State Felony Defense Attorney immediately. Give us a call today.
Client Testimonials
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“Thank you so much for all your help in getting our case dismissed. It is good to have honorable, intelligent attorneys like you to defend the little guy. Best wishes and God bless!”- D.L.
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“On my second DUI case I knew I was in some serious trouble. Lance Fryrear was a referral from my cousin who couldn't talk highly enough of Lance. He was my first and last attorney interview. He put me to ease with his confidence right from the beginning. My case has officially closed and I am extremely happy with the outcome. Even if my outcome wasn't as good as it turned out I would still highly recommend Lance. The way him and his team handled the case was very professional. They (Kate) always called a day before my court dates to remind me. There was a couple of times I forgot my court date and if it wasn't for his team I would have warrants out on me. Another thing I want to note is that if your attorney walks into the court room and everyone in the room (prosecutor, judge, other attorneys, and even the clerk) knows him, you have a good guy on your side. Thank you Lance! I can't thank you enough for the how you got me through this tough time in my life.”- Anonymous
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“I just wanted to thank you for once again going above and beyond the call of duty. You didn't have to find a recovery center close to me with an opening for the 8-hour class, but you did it anyway. That makes you the best attorney and the only one I'd ever”- M.K.
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“Imagine being a teacher and one of your student's families reports false allegations about you. In one brief moment my life became an emotional roller coaster. After searching the internet for an attorney I read the reviews for Lance and his staff. Once I met with Lance it was clear why his clients spoke so highly of him and his staff. He was compassionate, informative, respectful, knowledgeable, and professional. He gave me tissues to wipe my tears, he believed in me, he challenged me to think about my future, and he explained the steps moving forward. Lance worked in conjunction with Angelina Petrosyan, another attorney in his office to get me through the long four month process of clearing my name. Angelina was by my side, always checking on me and keeping me informed. At times she had to make contacts regarding my case during graveyard hours. If needed, she texted or spoke with me by phone late into the evening. I can not thank Angelina and Lance enough for all the extra work they did to prove these allegations were false!”- CM
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“Thank you so much for your hard work. You told me that you feel confident in getting my records vacated. I was really worried this might not happen. You made this happen for me. Thank you for calling me back when you were on vacation. Thank you for making ”- H.J.
Areas of Practice: Criminal Law
Let us help you understand your legal options! We are happy to answer your questions and you can expect to receive an honest, straightforward assessment of the matter. Follow the links provided on this page for additional information about our key areas of practice in the field of criminal law.
This may be your first run-in with law enforcement or you may already have a conviction on your record. No matter the circumstances of your case or the severity of the crime you have been accused of committing, you can feel confident that we will do everything in our power to seek an acquittal or dismissal.
Here are some things to expect during a confidential consultation with a criminal defense attorney at our firm:
- We will talk to you about what occurred and make a preliminary assessment of the situation.
- We can discuss any particular questions or concerns you may have, such as whether you may have been the victim of an unreasonable search and seizure or whether you were unlawfully arrested.
- We can offer you helpful guidance in regard to what you should and should not do at this point in time in order to positively impact your case.
- We can even start developing a plan of action to begin addressing your charges or investigation immediately.
- In addition to a free consultation, you will receive Lance Fryrear's report entitled "10 Things Every Person Charged With A Crime Must Know."
Time is of the essence in these matters; therefore, we will move quickly to give you the information you need to determine whether you need an attorney at this point and whether you believe we are the right firm for your case.
