CRIMINAL DEFENSE

The most serious crimes in the State of Ohio are charged as felonies. Ohio classifies felony offenses into five degrees. Felony of the first degree are the most serious crimes and felony of the fifth degree are the least serious felony crimes. Felony convictions can have extensive effects on your life including your freedom through incarceration, your reputation, your family and your employment. Compared to misdemeanor offenses where you can face up to six months in jail and fines of $1,000, felony convictions can result in substantial prison sentences and fines that reach $20,000.

Felony offenses can include murder, sex offenses, manslaughter, felonious assault, kidnapping, drug trafficking and possession, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, vehicular homicides, breaking an entering, identity fraud, and drug offenses. Some of these felony offenses impose mandatory prison terms and can also carry with them a period of post release control from one to five years. Another option in sentencing for the court is a term of community control (probation). Community control can include conditions of placement in residential facilities, house arrest, electronic monitoring, drug and/or alcohol treatment, community service and restitution to a victim. There is also the possibility on certain offenses to enter into court specific programs such as Intervention in Lieu of Conviction or a diversion program.

Felony charges are nothing to take lightly. They involve heightened penalties that can result in a loss of your freedom. Attorney Meeker is an experienced criminal felony attorney that has been providing aggressive legal representation to clients all across northeast Ohio. He approaches each case in a three-prong fashion. First he will evaluate the evidence with his client to determine if a dismissal of the charge is possible. If not, Attorney Meeker will attempt to negotiate a reduction of the charge to a lessor offense. Finally, Attorney Meeker will negotiate a sentence that is favorable to his client based on the circumstances of the case and his client.

Although less severe than felonies, misdemeanor crimes can still carry the potential for incarceration, high fines, license suspension and more. Misdemeanor crimes can include both criminal charges and traffic violations. Types of Misdemeanor charges include domestic violence, trespass, disorderly conduct, petty theft, criminal mischief, assault, drug possession, obstructing official business, OVI, driving under suspension, reckless operation and more. The criminal history of a defendant, and the specific facts of the case, will be deciding factors into whether some charges can be filed as a misdemeanor or a felony. For instance, if a person causes or attempts to cause physical harm to a family or household member, they may be charged with first degree misdemeanor domestic violence. However, should the defendant have a prior domestic violence conviction, they may be charged with felony domestic violence. Misdemeanor convictions can appear on background checks and license applications and can result in license suspensions and heightened insurance rates. Although minor compared to a felony, a misdemeanor conviction can still have a very serious effect on your life.

Attorney Meeker has experience and knowledge in handling misdemeanor criminal offenses in courts all across northeast Ohio. He approaches each case in a three-prong fashion. First he will evaluate the evidence with his client to determine if a dismissal of the charge is possible. If not, Attorney Meeker will attempt to negotiate a reduction of the charge to a lessor offense. Finally, Attorney Meeker will negotiate a sentence that is favorable to his client based on the circumstances of the case and his client. Attorney Meeker understands how the system works and is prepared to put his knowledge of criminal law and his trial background to work for each of his clients. Should you be charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense in Ohio, please contact Attorney Meeker today to schedule your free consultation.

Have you been issued a ticket or been charged with a traffic offense? There is an extensive list of traffic charges in the State of Ohio that you may be charged with ranging from moving to nonmoving violations. Moving violations can include speeding, driving under suspension, running a red light, reckless operation, and OVI. Nonmoving violations can include parking tickets, registration, tag or sticker violations, and equipment violations. Traffic violations can result in jail time, fines, license suspensions and points against your driving record. Due to the nature of traffic violations and the potential for life altering repercussions from a conviction, it is extremely important to consult with an attorney before making any decision to resolve your case or pay your ticket.

Attorney Meeker has provided aggressive traffic defense to clients across northeast Ohio. His knowledge and experience in traffic court can assist you in resolving your issue as favorably as possible. Begin building your defense today and contact Attorney Meeker to schedule your free consultation.

In Ohio, operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI) means driving, or being in actual physical possession of a vehicle, and being impaired with a BAC level of .08 or higher from drinking alcohol and/or taking illicit substances. If you have been charged with OVI you are facing uncertainty and penalties ranging from substantial fines, points against your license, suspension or loss of your license, having your vehicle confiscated and even jail time.

Attorney Meeker will work closely with you to explain the law, review all the evidence, and prepare the necessary defense or negotiate a potential plea bargain. He will also assist you in obtaining driving privileges for work, school or medical purposes during the period of your license suspension if the law allows. Attorney Meeker is experienced and skilled in defending OVI and he regularly represents clients charged with OVI in many of the local municipal courts. If you are charged with OVI, and wanted to discuss your case with Attorney, contact him today for your free consultation.

Nothing can be more stressful and traumatic as a child being in trouble. In the State of Ohio, there are two categories of offenses that a child may be in a juvenile court. Those include delinquent acts and unruly acts. Delinquent acts involve a minor committing an offense that would be a crime if committed by an adult and the minor will be charged with delinquency rather than the actual crime. These delinquent acts include drug offenses, traffic violations, assault and more. Unruly acts are those offenses that a minor commits because of his juvenile status, including truancy from school, violating a curfew or underage consumption of alcohol.

Sentences for a finding of delinquency can include various alternative programing such as probation, substance abuse treatment and counseling. A last resort is typically the placement into a juvenile detention facility. The overall goal of a juvenile court is to rehabilitate the minor and to assist them in making better decisions in their lives moving forward to become a productive member of society as an adult.

Attorney Meeker has experience and skill in assisting children and teenagers in navigating the juvenile justice system in many of the local juvenile courts. He understands how to effectively advocate for his clients and to work with the family to make sure they have the proper resources to assist the minor in achieving the best outcome. If you would like to discuss a delinquency or unruly charge in more detail, contact Attorney Meeker today to schedule your free consultation.

Have you or a loved one been sentenced to a term of prison? If so, did you know that the law in the State of Ohio permits an incarcerated individual the opportunity to petition to the sentencing court for early release called Judicial Release. There are several statutory factors in determining whether you or your loved one is eligible to request judicial release which include the nature of your sentence as mandatory or nonmandatory and the timing of your motion. Should an incarcerated individual be eligible, the sentencing judge will consider several factors including your original sentence, the amount of time served towards your original sentence and the specific facts of the crimes that led to incarceration.

In order to submit your petition for judicial release it must be in writing and filed with the Court. Attorney Meeker has substantial knowledge in drafting and arguing motions for judicial release including collecting and providing to the court the necessary information to establish a detailed release plan that includes living arrangements, employment opportunities and treatment services. Once the motion for judicial release is submitted to the court, the judge will review the motion and decide whether to grant a hearing. At a hearing, your attorney, the prosecutor and the victim can argue for or against the motion. Should the court grant your motion, you will be placed on a period of community control and must abide by the conditions of release that the judge imposes. If you believe that your loved one may be eligible for judicial release contact Attorney Meeker today.

Do you have a criminal conviction that you wish to have expunged or sealed? Have you experienced setbacks and roadblocks in your life due to your criminal record? In the State of Ohio, some criminal charges can be expunged or sealed based on the type of offense and degree of the conviction. Crimes of violence and traffic offenses can never be expunged or sealed. In regards to the timing of eligibility for filing, an applicant must wait three years from competition of their sentence for a felony and an applicant must wait one year from competition of their sentence for a misdemeanor.

If eligible, the process for filing involves submitting a motion to the sentencing court and attending a hearing with the prosecutor, who may or may not object to the request. At the hearing the court will consider the prosecutor’s objections, the argument by your attorney, the eligibility of the individual, and the individual’s past and current criminal history. Should the court grant a request for expungement or sealing, the offender’s criminal record regarding the case will no longer be viewable to the public but can potentially still be viewable to law enforcement and other government agencies under certain circumstances.

The benefits to proceeding with expungement or sealing can assist an offender with their employment opportunities, their housing arrangement, their education and their professional licensing. If you believe that you or a loved one has a criminal record that is holding them back and are interested in learning more about expungement or sealing, contact Attorney Meeker for your free consultation today.