Criminal Investigation PreIndictment Charging and Probation Violation

Criminal Investigations

DON’T WAIT if you have been accused of a crime, if you have had police contact, if law enforcement is trying to contact you. DON’T WAIT to get an attorney until you are charged or arrested.
We will contact law enforcement for you and if we find out that law enforcement has enough probable cause to arrest you we will attempt to negotiate to accept a summons on your behalf or a self-surrender.
OFTEN Mr. Thornley can prevent charges from ever being filed if you contact Thornley Law Firm the moment you know that law enforcement is looking for you or wants to talk to you.

Pre-Indictment Charging

It is possible for the State to charge a person with crimes prior to there being a determination of probable cause for the charges to go forward to a trial. The window to act in these instances to secure a dismissal or favorable outcome is short. Judges often will only allow pre-indictment charges to stay in their court for a limited period and then the state will seek probable cause by either taking the case to a Grand Jury where they will seek an indictment or take the case to a preliminary hearing where they will ask the judge for a determination of probable cause.
Once the State has received a determination of probable cause, the case can proceed through the normal court process and on to trial.

Often an opportunity to secure a favorable resolution can be lost once the state gets the determination of probable cause. In some instances, the State may never give another offer and a person may be forced to go to trial on charges that could result in the loss of a person’s freedom and a large amount of Department of Corrections time.

Probation Violations

Often when a person has pled guilty or been found guilty of a felony charge, they will be placed on probation.  Probation terms can different from person to person but violation of those terms can result in serious consequences such as the revocation of probation and being remanded to prison.

Violations of probation do not always have to result in negative circumstances.  A person has rights in a probation violation proceeding.  It is important to have an attorney who has successfully handled these situations.

Mr. Thornley has appeared before all three current judges who conduct probation violation hearings.  He has assisted clients in remaining out of prison by successfully arguing for the reinstatement of probation in circumstances where the judge has threatened to his clients to prison.

Thornley Law Firm will provide powerful representation in your probation violation matter.  Contact us so we can get started right away.