Felony Criminal Lawyer

Being convicted of a felony means that you might lose some of the privileges you have as a citizen of the United States. The consequences of a felony are so serious that fighting against the charged placed against you is worth considering.

The penalties for being convicted of a felony often depend on the prison sentence or possible imprisonment term. For example, if you are convicted of a crime that could land you in jail for a year, you aren’t eligible to serve on a federal jury.

Possible Consequences Of A Felony Conviction

In Utah, you can vote if you are a felon. The exception to this is that you can’t vote while you are incarcerated. Once you are released, even if you are on parole or probation, you can still vote.

As a convicted felon, you likely might not be able to hold a public office. An example would be if you are found guilty of being a party to a civil disorder event, you would be forbidden from seeking public office for at least five years.

There are some convictions, such as an international trafficking conviction, that would stop you from getting a passport. Other felony charges, including drug charges, are considered when applying for a passport. Even if you have a passport, companies can opt to keep you out based on your criminal history.

Making sure you don’t lose your freedoms is likely a priority for you. It is important for you to understand each stop of the way how your choices can affect the case. Make sure you understand what you are going to do as your case moves forward through the criminal justice system.

Utah Lawmakers Consider Bill To Help Reduce Drug Overdose Deaths

Like many other states, Utah has a drug problem that is increasingly proving fatal. Last year alone, approximately 502 people in Utah were killed by fatal drug overdoses. The number of overdose cases may be rising for a myriad of reasons, including the fact that street drugs such as heroin are increasing in potency and rates of prescription painkiller abuse are on the rise.

Many of these deaths could be prevented. Sadly, those with the power to intervene are often scared to do so because they have also been participating in illegal drug activity and are fearful of being charged with drug crimes. In response to this problem, Utah legislators are considering a measure that 15 other states have already enacted. The legislation, commonly referred to as a “good Samaritan” bill, would provide some measure of immunity to individuals who report a drug overdose to police or other emergency responders.

A fatal overdose case from 2005 illustrates how this bill could potentially save lives. In that case, an 18-year-old girl had overdosed on heroin and cocaine. Two friends had been with her at the time and were also apparently using drugs. In response to the OD, one had a phone in hand and wanted to call for help, but the other talked him out of it. Instead, they dumped her body in the Bountiful foothills either before or shortly after her death.

In situations like the one described above, those who fail to report a potentially fatal overdose do not stay silent because of indifference or callousness. Most often, they are fearful of being prosecuted for drug crimes and may not be thinking clearly because they are high or drunk.

The proposed good Samaritan bill probably won’t reduce rates of illegal drug use. But it could significantly reduce the number of preventable overdose deaths by sending the message that preserving human life is a higher priority than punishing illegal drug activity.

As one state representative has noted: “Young people don’t always make the best decisions, but they don’t deserve to die.”

Free Consultation with Felony Criminal Lawyer

When you need a felony criminal attorney on your side, call Ascent law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.