Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River, and it has a population of about 310,000 residents. The violent crime rate in Rockland County is ranked at 27.5, below the country's average, which is 31.1. Although Rockland sees far fewer criminal offenses committed within its borders when compared to New York City, residents, workers and visitors are nonetheless arrested for a host of offenses categorized as violent crimes, financial crimes, property crimes, domestic violence crimes, vehicular crimes and many other types of offenses. Saland Law, a law firm of Rockland County criminal defense lawyers who are former Manhattan prosecutors, doesn’t merely understand what is at stake for a client facing a criminal charge and arrest in Rockland, but how the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office can, and often does, prosecute criminal conduct in a more harsh and firm manner than in the busier courts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. Fortunately for clients arrested for and accused of crimes in the Hudson Valley and throughout this suburban county, Saland Law has utilized their unparalleled and collective experiences as Assistant District Attorneys and criminal defense lawyers to favorably resolve Rockland County arrests and indictments.
Ultimately, wherever you are arrested and whomever you determine can best represent you, be thorough and smart before hiring counsel. Simply, the decisions you make today can, and routinely do, set the trajectory of a criminal case – for better or worse – until it is resolved and closed. Simply, succumbing to the pitfalls of bad legal advice, false promises, and poor decisions will shackle regret to your permanent criminal record.
Criminal Charges and Consequences for an Arrest in Rockland CountyOutside of the humiliation and embarrassment of an arrest in Clarkstown, Ramapo, Orangetown or Haverstraw Justice Court, if you are convicted of any crime in Rockland County – carrying an unregistered firearm or switchblade knife, diverting prescription drugs or possessing heroin, displaying a fake driver’s license, or stealing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars from an employer – the New York Penal Law allows for incarceration in the Rockland County Jail or, even worse, in an “upstate” prison. Despite this grim reality, however, not every arrest nor indictment in Rockland needs to or will in fact leave you a broken shell of your former self if you take the right steps to implement the best defense. Simply, it is up to you to seize control of the situation in which you find yourself and hire the right defense team and legal advocates.
Whether in the Rockland County Courthouse or in the “smaller” New City, Nyack, Stony Point or Spring Valley Justice Courts, to best avoid a permanent and non-expungeable criminal record in Rockland County – misdemeanor or felony – you must secure the right legal counsel for your criminal case and do so at the earlies opportunity. No, law enforcement will not wait for you to arm yourself to combat and challenge their allegations. This responsibility rests solely on your shoulders. If you are facing an arrest, indictment, hearing or trial in Rockland County for an offense related to financial fraud, prescription or narcotic drugs, DWI or DUI, sexual misconduct, white collar theft or fraud, weapon possession, property damage, domestic violence, or another type of criminal allegation, the Rockland County criminal defense attorneys at Saland Law can provide you with the same reasoned defensive strategy and strong legal representation we have for countless clients across the Hudson Valley.
Understanding Your Rights When Accused of a Crime in Rockland CountyAn accusation of criminal conduct or an arrest for any crime is not merely stressful. In fact, the uncertainty, angst, and anxiety you will face are likely of a magnitude you have never experienced nor wish to endure again. While one should never underestimate the life altering consequences of an indelible misdemeanor conviction, felony crimes are the most serious offense in the New York Penal Law and not uncommon in Rockland County. Felony crimes prosecuted by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office include various types of violent crimes, such as Assault and Burglary, weapon crimes including Criminal Possession of a Firearm and Criminal Possession of a Weapon, nonviolent crimes not limited to Making Graffiti and Criminal Mischief, White Collar offenses relating to Grand Larceny and Embezzlement, computer and cybercrimes involving Computer Trespass and Unauthorized Use of a Computer, and a litany of other criminal offenses relating to domestic violence, narcotic and prescription drugs, DWI, and other malfeasances. No matter the crime – misdemeanor or felony – you have rights. Ultimately, the circumstances of your case will dictate the strongest defenses and the manner in which you and your criminal defense attorney in Rockland County pursue the same, but make no mistake. Whether you are arrested by the police in Airmont, Clarkstown, Havestraw, Nyack or New City, or your arrest is at the hands of the Rockland County Police or New York State Troopers, law enforcement can never strip you of your rights.
Whether the crime you face ever leaves the four corners of a local Justice Court or you find yourself before a County Court Judge in New City, the Rockland County District Attorney always maintains the burden to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt. As such, it is not merely a part of your criminal lawyer’s job, but the central purpose of his or her representation, to examine the evidence, identify strong defenses and prepare him or herself to fight for your exoneration, mitigate your conduct or limit your immediate and long-term exposure. You may be shackled in handcuffs for allegedly shoplifting, aka, committing Petit Larceny, at the Palisades Mall in West Nyack or Woodbury Commons in Central Valley. Even worse, you may be standing in New City’s Rockland County Court waiting to hear whether the judge agrees with an Assistant District Attorney’s bail application to hold you in custody after a Grand Jury returned an indictment for Robbery or Criminal Contempt involving an alleged domestic dispute.
Regardless of the charge or courtroom, however, you need not surrender to any allegation. Should you ultimately want the prosecution to meet their legal burden, you have every right to challenge the credibility of the People’s witnesses and attack the admissibility of their evidence. For that matter, you can provide your own witnesses or alibi in defense to your arrest or indictment. No matter whether bail is set or not, it is of no consequence to your right to challenge the legality of police procedures through a motion to suppress. You need not give up your right to question the probable cause for your arrest, the basis of your search and the legal foundation of their questioning. The issue may not be what are your rights, but how you will exercise them and who is the best advocate to articulate your arguments and defenses.
Consult an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer in Rockland CountyDespite the fear and the uncertainty you may feel, never lose sight of how the right criminal lawyer or defense team in Rockland County can both protect your rights and give you the best opportunity to overcome an arrest or indictment. Do not sit back and wait for the Rockland County District Attorney or the New York State Attorney General to dig in their heels, retract offers, or find a reason to proceed full force. Do not allow ignorance, stubbornness nor arrogance to prevent you from taking the steps to protect yourself, your family and your future.
From the time that you or a family member walk into our law office in Rockland, Westchester or Manhattan to the time that your matter ends, our knowledgeable attorneys will meticulously examine your case to ascertain the best defense. While you will always command our respect, attention and professionalism, our Rockland County trial lawyers and former Manhattan Assistant District Attorneys will not shy away from asking the hard questions, challenging the information any witness shares, and even putting you on the proverbial “hot seat.” Simply, when it comes to your liberty, integrity, name, and livelihood, we will stop at nothing within the confines of the criminal justice system and our ethical code of conduct to advocate for the best resolution.
Take control of your future. Prepare your defense. Contact Saland Law and let knowledge, advocacy and experience work for you.
Call our Rockland criminal lawyers and former prosecutors day or night at (212) 312-7129 or contact us online today.