Criminal Defense Lawyer

The holiday season is usually filled with fond memories and joyous time with family. However, with the season, there is typically an increase in burglaries, with many homeowners being away from their residence and the opportunity to steal precious items on the rise. 

Burglary is when someone illegally enters a premise in order to commit a crime, typically theft. This is also known as breaking and entering and it can be a serious offense depending on the severity of the crime committed once inside the property. 

Breaking and entering or burglary, can happen at any time of the day. Many states traditionally defined burglary as an illegal entry into a dwelling that happened at night. As times have changed the definition of burglary has changed with most states amending their law of burglary. Through these amendments, a burglary can be defined as breaking into any type of property; building, car or a home at any given time of the day. 

It is crucial that you take steps to protect yourself from a burglary especially during the holidays. A burglar may scope out your home before breaking and entering. They may hide behind tall trees, peek through windows, go through trash or see a build up of mail in your mailbox. All of these signs can aide in a burglar being able to break in your home and steal your valuable items.

During the holidays, people tend to leave their curtains open to show off their holiday decorations, trash builds up with boxes from new toys, electronics and gadgets and if out of town, mail begins to pile up in the mailbox. These are huge signs that a burglar will look out for and can make your home a target for theft.

Some ways to help prevent burglary are investing in a security system, close your blinds, motion sensor lights, having a neighbor or friend pick up your mail and of course locking your doors and windows at all times. 

Being burglarized in any capacity can be extremely devastating and overwhelming. Depending on the extent of the case and what you are a victim of there are legal options in place for you or your loved one should either of you be a victim. Reach out to a skilled attorney in your area to determine what your legal options are. This is not something you have to go through alone, a criminal lawyer, like from The Lynch Law Group, maybe able to help you.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Nobody wants to be in trouble with the law. Sometimes small infractions can lead to big time consequences if they are not handled properly. You should want to take care of your affairs because it isn’t a good idea to ignore or flee when a warrant is issued in your name. There are two types of warrants that can be issued against you. One is an arrest warrant and the other is a bench warrant.

Arrest Warrant

An arrest warrant is when a judge believes there is probable cause that you have committed a crime. A judge will come to this conclusion once the police have gathered enough evidence of any crime or crimes. Another reason a judge will issue an arrest warrant is if a grand jury indicts you for a crime. 

If you have an arrest warrant, the police will be actively searching for you. They can arrest you at home, at work, or at any public place, which can be nerve racking. Once the police arrest you, the judge will have you arraigned and in most cases set a bond or have you detained until trial date. 

Bench Warrant 

The other type of warrant that can be issued is a bench warrant. A bench warrant is issued in both civil and criminal cases. For a civil case, a bench warrant will be issued to subpoena a witness to a trial. For a criminal case, a bench warrant will be issued when a defendant misses a scheduled court date. 

The severity of the bench warrant will determine if the police actively search for you. However, if you are pulled over for a minor infraction while driving, you will be taken into custody and go before a judge.

Bench warrants are not to be taken lightly and should be responded to immediately so that you can avoid being embarrassed in the event that you call the police to get help for yourself. Bench warrants tell law enforcement that the judge wishes to see you in their court, and the only way to guarantee that you will appear is by arresting you since you may have a bench warrant for failure to appear at another court date you were summoned to previously.

Speak to an Attorney 

Should you or someone you know have a bench warrant, be sure to speak with a criminal lawyer, like a criminal lawyer in Decatur, GA, as soon as possible. By speaking with an attorney you may be able to avoid jail time.

Thanks to The Lynch Law Group for their insight into the different kinds of warrants.