Did you know that possession of as few as five hydrocodone pills with no prescription could subject you to as much as seventy months (5 years, 10 months) in prison with no probation, no parole? Scary, isn’t it?
What you don’t know CAN hurt you, but what your lawyer does not know can hurt you more.
In North Carolina, as in every part of the United States, certain basic principles form the bedrock of our criminal law. These include such well-known statements as…
All defendants are presumed innocent.
The burden of proof is on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Every defendant has a right to a trial by jury of his or her peers.
An accused person has the right to remain silent and may not be required to testify against himself/herself—that is, the accused may “take the fifth.”
Many of us are at least somewhat aware of the rights provided by the Bill of Rights, the first amendments to our Constitution. However, a passing acquaintance with these principles is completely insufficient in creating a legal defense—that is, making sure all of a suspect’s/defendant’s rights are asserted and protected. Many rights are deemed waived if not unequivocally asserted.
To a larger measure, these issues relate to procedure and due process. Pretrial and trial procedure, evidentiary rules, motion practice, and sentencing preparation are all very complex and interrelated concepts which must successfully come together in a competent defense lawyer’s preparation of a criminal defense.
The substantive definition of individual criminal offenses along with the elements of each crime the State must prove for conviction is based on the common law handed down from England and early American courts along with legislative enactments and pronouncements passed in the US Congress and various state legislatures during the last 240 years.
Criminal legal defense is a complex and serious undertaking that can have permanent effects on a client’s life. At William C. Gore, Jr. PLLC, Attorney at Law, every criminal defense begins with a detailed interview of the potential client and the marshaling of ancillary services, such as psychological, investigatory, assessment, and sentencing assistance to immediately address all possible issues.
Why William C. Gore, Jr. PLLC is Right for YouWith thirty-nine years of experience, Mr. Gore is not only very familiar with criminal legal defense, he also knows the practices and protocols of local law enforcement and has a professional working relationship with each member of the Office of the District Attorney. This becomes important when attempting to arrange hearings on short notice. Many of the criminal case management rules still used for the Thirteenth Prosecutorial District were actually written by Mr. Gore during his tenure as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge.
With a historic office located seconds from the new Columbus County Courthouse, research and filing issues at the courthouse are fast and convenient.
If you are charged with a criminal matter in southeastern North Carolina, our law firm exists to help you navigate the criminal justice system in a fair and efficient manner.