Criminal Law

Nobody's perfect! Sometimes good people under time pressure, financial pressure or family pressure, respond by taking risks they shouldn't take and find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Under pressure, people may respond inappropriately--taking advantage of an employer's trust, acting out on emotions or breaking driving laws. Sometimes laws change faster than personal habits and attitudes. With strict new laws about substance abuse, people accustomed to having a few social drinks before getting into their car may quickly be confronted with a series of important decisions regarding chemical tests, field sobriety tests and what information is safe to give. Mistakes, when the criminal justice system takes over, have serious and long lasting consequences to individuals and their families.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a serious crime, such as a felony or a misdemeanor, or a serious motor vehicle offense such as operation under the influence, there are Constitutional rights that are important to know about. Criminal law is the only area of law that directly affects a person's liberty. As a result, our founding fathers were extremely vigilant in protecting individuals accused of crimes from the overwhelming power and money available to both federal and state governments. Nowadays the disparity in power between the government and an individual is as great as it ever was, and although our Constitutional rights may be taken for granted, they are just as important in this electronic age when a conflict with the authorities arises.

The Fourth Amendment protects us from unreasonable searches and from being detained without reason. The Fifth Amendment protects us from being forced to provide harmful evidence against ourselves and guarantees the right to an attorney in serious cases. The Sixth Amendment guarantees us the right to confront our accusers in a court of law.

It is crucial that you understand your rights before it is too late in the process. People make mistakes. Sometimes the prosecutors don't have all of the facts and come to the wrong conclusions. Good people deserve a fair opportunity to have unfounded charges dismissed, to have a second chance or to receive leniency. Hiring an experienced attorney can make a critical difference. The lawyers at Borofsky, Amoedo-Vickery & Bandazian, P.A. are trained to protect your rights. We have experience defending people accused of crimes in just about every Superior and District Court in New Hampshire and southern Maine. We know how to fight for you, and we are successful at it.

Not hiring the right lawyer can be very costly. The consequences of a conviction include jail, fines, loss of a driver's license, mandatory counseling, probation and more. Our legal system can be bewildering and terrifying. Don't compound one mistake with another!

Call Borofsky, Amodeo-Vickery & Bandazian, P.A. as soon as you can, before you lose valuable constitutional rights and more.