When you have have been convicted of a crime in New York State, the court will have to determine an appropriate punishment for the person who has violated the law. In order to make this decision regarding punishments, the court takes a wide range of factors into consideration. Of course, the court will consider the nature of the crime first and foremost in the sentencing process.
In addition to the crime itself, the court will take the offender’s age into consideration. Youthful offenders may have a different sentence than someone who is an adult that has committed a similar crime. Aside from age, the court will consider whether the offender has had previous felony convictions. If they have been convicted of a previous felony, did it take place within the last 10 years? This factor holds a lot of weight as well. If the person was convicted of a felony within the last 10 years, was that felony violent or non-violent in nature? If the offender has had two or more felony convictions in the past, there is a chance that the court will consider them a Persistent Felony Offender. People with this classification may even be sentenced to life in prison to eliminate the chance of them committing another felony in the future.
It is important that you retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney if you have been charged with a crime. This is especially important if that crime is a felony crime and if you have previous convictions on your record. Contact us today if you need strong legal representation.
If you are in need of experienced legal counsel in New York State, please contact Grunwald & Seman, P.C. and we would be happy to assist you.
