Hire The Best Criminal Defense
In New Jersey
Contact The Law Office of Jordan B. Rickards Today!
Were you arrested and charged with a crime in Central New Jersey? If so, you are likely feeling intimidated, stressed-out, and all around overwhelmed by the circumstances that you are facing! Your freedom could quite literally be on the line. In this moment, you need a highly-experienced criminal defense lawyer.
Unfortunately, many defendants make the mistake of working with an amateur who does not know what they are doing. Some people even choose inexperienced lawyers who are taking the case to learn on the job. This might be a great learning experience for the attorney, but it could result in disaster for you. At the end of the day your lawyer will be going home, but you might not be. Criminal law is an extremely complex field, and it is not for every attorney. Jordan B. Rickards can help you in cases related to:
- New Jersey DUI and DWI
- Juvenile offenses
- Simple assault
- Drug charges
- Misdemeanor charges
- Felony charges
- Expungements
- And more!
HIRE THE BEST NEW JERSEY CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
At the Law Office of Jordan B. Rickards, our aggressive New Jersey criminal defense attorney is a former prosecutor, and he has a deep understanding of criminal law. Mr. Rickards has worked for the Attorney General of New Jersey and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. He has prosecuted nearly 2,000 cases. In his work as a criminal defense lawyer, he has handled hundreds of cases, and he has served the community by acting as a public defender. If you’re facing an arrest in New Jersey, our experienced legal team is here to help you. Please do not hesitate to contact our firm today for high-quality legal representation.
CRIMINAL CASES WE HANDLE
We are a full-service criminal defense law firm. Our founder and lead attorney Jordan B. Rickards has experience defending a wide variety of different criminal cases. Some notable recent examples include:
Defending a little league umpire who was accused of punching a coach
Representing a school board member cleared of sexual misconduct charges
WERE YOU ARRESTED IN NEW JERSEY?
FOUR THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
1. EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
Most Americans have a basic familiarity with their right to remain silent. This is a legal right that you should always exercise. If a police officer placed you under arrest or detained you, you are almost certainly not going to be able to talk your way out of trouble. Quite the contrary; you are likely to talk your way into even more trouble! Police officers and New Jersey prosecutors can and will use the statements that you make against you in court. Even if what you are saying is reasonable, it is very easy for police to misconstrue your statements or intentionally misinterpret them. The best thing that you can do to protect your rights is to stay silent and simply request access to your criminal defense attorney.
2. YOU SHOULD NOT CONSENT TO A SEARCH
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects you from unreasonable searches and seizures. To search your person, your home, or your vehicle, a New Jersey police officer must have valid probable cause. Without probable cause, the search is unlawful and police should not conduct it. Your defense lawyer may be able to get any evidence they obtained during the search thrown out of the courtroom if there was no consent or probable cause. However, if you consent to a search, then that search will likely be lawful. It is not in your interest to consent to a search of your person or property. If a police officer requests to conduct a search, you should politely decline. If the officer conducts the search anyway, your lawyer will be able to review that issue later on in your case. The search may have been illegal.
3. YOU SHOULD NOT SIMPLY ‘PLEAD GUILTY’ TO CRIMINAL CHARGES
Far too many defendants decide that there is no use in contesting the charges against them, so they simply resign themselves to plead guilty. To make matters worse, some inexperienced criminal defense lawyers encourage people to plead guilty. The prospect of large up-front fees is too great for these attorneys. They will do little more than read over your case and try to move it through the legal process. You need a lawyer who is ready to fight for your best interests. You should never mindlessly plead guilty to criminal charges. Reaching a plea deal is the correct outcome in certain cases. According to your legal counsel, you should take a plea deal after your lawyer has thoroughly reviewed the charges against you and has aggressively negotiated the plea so that you can be sure you are getting a fair deal from the prosecutor.
4. YOU SHOULD HIRE AN ATTORNEY
Finally, you should never go through the criminal defense process on your own. The prosecutor who is handling your case will be a trained professional. You need a courtroom veteran who can ensure that your rights are fully protected. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to get a skilled criminal defense lawyer by your side as soon as possible after your arrest.
