Impact of a Criminal Conviction:

Being convicted of a criminal crime is a serious matter. Apart from the obvious penalties of imprisonment and a criminal record, there can be other serious day to day implications that can affect your everyday living conditions.

If you were ever convicted of a crime everything about your identity including your fingerprints and DNA are entered into the system, making traveling, voting, insurance, housing and applications difficult. You may also come up in other investigations and be brought in for questioning or be a suspect and potentially be wrongfully pointed out.

Anyone can pull up a criminal record. Banks, a college admissions office,  landlords and employers can run background checks and deny you.

TRAVELING :

Many countries have restrictions on entering the country if you have even had the slightest conviction even from over 50 years ago (ex. Canada). If you were on probation or parole, even leaving the state can be an issue.

VOTING:

Subject to certain exceptions, having a criminal record can effect ones voting abilities.  Even if one is not in prison but is out on parol or probation, you lose your right to vote.

INSURANCE:

Insurance companies can deny you or reject a claim if you have a criminal record.  Even your spouse's criminal record can affect your insurance standings. With these limitations your quality of care and support diminishes drastically and can be life altering.

HOUSING:

A landlord has the right to deny you housing due to your criminal record. Certain convictions place strict limitations of where one can dwell. Many require you to live certain distance from schools and parks, which is problematic in a congested city environment. 

APPLICATIONS:

Most job applications ask if one has ever been convicted of a crime. Depending on the job description, being an ex-convict,  will not get you employed by that company or organization. Because of the lack of  employment opportunities, you will most likely earn less wages and work more hours to support yourself or your family. A criminal record can also affect other applications which may include applications for licenses, permits, permissions, credit cards ...etc.

Impact of a Traffic Conviction:

New York State contains many many laws and variations of the law that relates to Traffic offenses. Traffic offenses can range from a simple fine --to points on your license, insurance rate increases, license revocation or suspension, misdemeanor charges, to even a felony and jail time.

The impact of a traffic violation can certainly drastically impact your life on many levels especially if your employment requires the use a vehicle.  Some areas that can be impacted include:

  • A clean history being stained with a misdemeanor or felony.  (which carry consequences of their own that include possible jail time, removal of voting rights, potential employment issues, traveling issues ...etc)
  •  Increased insurance costs
  •  license revocation/suspension
  •  Civil fees, penalties, and surcharges
  •  Assessment costs (if you accumulate 6 or more points within an 18 month period)
  •  Issues obtaining work or employment due to a stained drivers abstract
  •  Application denials (many applications require a drivers abstract and/or criminal background disclosure to be filled out)
  •  Traveling issues

While most traffic infractions carry only points and a fine, nevertheless those points can result in the revocation/suspension of your license if you accumulate 11 points within an 18 month period. Accumulating 6 or more points within an 18 month period will result in fees issued by the state-- which add up to $300 ($100 per year for 3 years) based on a 6 point accumulation. This cost increases for every point over 6 points by $75 (an extra $25 per point per year).

DON'T JUST PLEAD GUILTY!!!

Calling the Rozhik Law Firm is very important if you've been charged with any violation or criminal offense. We may be able to reduce a criminal offense to a non-criminal offense, and a violation that carries point may be dropped to just a small processing fee with no points and nothing staining your drivers abstract.

OVERVIEW :

 What many people fail to comprehend is that their actions can affect not only their life but the lives of the ones closest to them. If the convicted is incarcerated, not only did they lose their freedom, but the people they leave behind are emotionally and sometimes financially impacted.  Their parents  miss their children and are very possibly mortified by the actions committed. Their spouses are left to pick up the pieces and are left virtually alone waiting for the day they can have their significant other home once again. Children are left parentless and growing up without a role model and without knowing right from wrong. If the crime committed does not include incarceration there are still everyday things that are changed forever. Knowing your rights and what the future holds for the specific crime you are accused of can really help your case.  Hiring a lawyer can dramatically change the outcome of your conviction. 

Why It Is Imperative To Hire An Attorney When Facing Criminal Charges or Traffic Violations:

Here is something you need to understand. In the state of New York, it is very difficult to competently and carefully handle your own criminal and traffic violation case without the assistance of an NYC attorney specialized in criminal matters/traffic violation defense. Why? The practice of law simply cannot be understood through reading a book. It takes discipline, a strong court presence, and most importantly, experience, to be successful in winning a case when the matter is dealing with a criminal charge or a traffic violation. 

A prosecutor has the discretion to file a criminal charge and decide upon which charge they may file. What you may consider to be a specific and fixed charge as found in a legal resource can actually be negotiated into something more serious when the prosecutor gets involved based on factors that you would normally not be aware of because of a lack of legal education and a lack of understanding legal procedure. This is where the right attorney comes in to ensure the charge being applied is appropriate and less severe then what the prosecutor may paint it to be. 

Richard F. Rozhik, Esq., has the experience in and out of court to handle a vast array of criminal and traffic matters in the state of New York. He can assist clients in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan, and all surrounding counties in New York State. It is not just about knowing the law when it comes to criminal and traffic proceedings. Richard F. Rozhik, Esq., can provide you with the following services to ensure you come out victorious with any of your legal troubles:

  • Hire the right investigators to add an extra layer of powerful defense on your behalf. You should not think you are alone when you are dealing with a legal issue. The Rozhik Law Firm will reach out to their network of legal resources and identify the appropriate investigators that would complement the legal strategy set to help you win your case.
  • Negotiate and hold meetings with the prosecution. Prosecutors may be willing to talk with the attorney in order to reduce the sentence specially when the attorney can prove immediately how unjustified the current charge is.
  • Identify the possible costs of pleading guilty. When you represent yourself, you are not wholly aware of what the actual costs can be throughout the trial process. Our firm will be able to give you a strong estimate as to what you will be billed with depending on your case.
  • Create sentencing programs catering to a clients needs. A correctional treatment plan is a powerful tool that can help a client avoid future issues with the law.