White Collar Crime Lawyer San Francisco, CA
At its most basic, white-collar crime is financial crime. This broad term spans federal offenses from tax evasion to insider trading. The FBI generally defines white-collar crime as “illegal acts which are characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and which are not dependent upon the application or threat of physical force or violence.”
Classification of white-collar crimes is distinguished by the potential consequences tied to the offense in question. A misdemeanor is an offense that cannot be punishable by a sentence lengthier than 365 days in jail. By contrast, a felony may be punishable by up to a lifetime in prison, depending upon the severity of the offense.
Because white collar crimes are—by their very definition—non-violent offenses, prison terms associated with these offenses tend to be less lengthy than those handed down for convictions of violent offenses. However, this sentencing disparity does not make it any less important that you treat any white-collar criminal charges that you may be facing with the utmost seriousness. If you have been charged with a white-collar offense (or you expect that you will be charged with an offense soon), connect with a knowledgeable San Francisco, CA white collar crime lawyer at Morales Law Firm so that our team may begin building the strongest possible defense on your behalf.
White Collar Crime Lawyer – San Francisco, CA
If you’re facing criminal charges, you don’t have any time to waste in building a strong defense. Each moment that the clock ticks by is a moment that our firm could be working to keep you out of jail. If you’re tempted to forego legal advice at this time because you’re “only” being charged with a misdemeanor, it’s critical that you adjust your perspective right now.
Felony vs. Misdemeanor White Collar Offenses
It’s true that misdemeanors carry a lighter sentencing burden than felonies do. If you’re being charged with a misdemeanor, you can’t be imprisoned for more than a year. However, a misdemeanor criminal conviction is still a criminal record. A record you’ll be compelled to disclose on job applications, housing applications, credit applications, and even volunteer applications. If you want to avoid the challenges that will accompany you for the remainder of your life following a criminal conviction, you’ll need to start taking the charges against you as seriously as possible.
Legal Assistance Is Available
Regardless of whether the charges you’re facing have been classified as misdemeanors or felonies, you’ll want to avoid a conviction if at all possible. Living life with the weight of the stigma that attaches to a criminal record could affect your wellbeing, your finances, and your loved ones for the rest of your life. Fight. Fight for your right to defend against the charges levied against you. The experienced California team at Morales Law Firm is here to aggressively protect your interests but we can’t help you until you pick up the phone. Call our office now to learn more about your rights, options, and our approach to representation. We look forward to speaking with you.
