crime-defense

Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers

Experienced trial lawyers for defendants throughout Central Ohio

Criminal charges are very serious. If convicted, you could be imprisoned. You will likely be required to pay substantial fines and court costs. You may be sentenced to probation or required to be on parole once you are released. Those consequences are just the starting point. Once your sentence is complete, you will likely find it difficult to find a job or a place to live. Some crimes may result in the suspension of your driving privileges.

At Soroka & Associates, LLC, our Columbus criminal defense attorneys work to obtain dismissals and to suppress the evidence against you. We are always ready to try your case before a jury of your peers. When the prosecution is willing and reasonable, we do negotiate plea bargains – with your approval. Our lawyers represent defendants of all ages in both federal, state, and juvenile courts. We handle cases that may result in long-term sentences and cases where your freedom may be in jeopardy for just a short time.

Practice Areas

How can we help?

Soroka & Associates, LLC in Columbus

Which criminal charges can you help me with?

At Soroka & Associates, our defense team represents defendants charged with federal and state crimes, including felonies and misdemeanors. Contact us today if you have been charged with:

  • Drug Crimes
  • Sex Crimes
  • Operating a Vehicle while Impaired (OVI)
  • Homicide charges
  • White-collar crimes

We also represent minors and college students, and help clients with probation and/or parole. If you have an order of protection taken out against you, contact us to learn how we might help. Whether you are facing state or federal charges, Soroka & Associates will fight to protect your rights and obtain the best possible outcome for you. We also represent defendants charged with misdemeanors or traffic offenses that are heard in the Ohio Mayor’s Court.

Felony vs. misdemeanor crimes in Ohio

Felony convictions are often referred to as more serious charges, and that is not necessarily wrong. Felony convictions often result in longer incarceration and higher fines and fees than misdemeanor convictions, and the collateral damage can be more severe, too. Whether you have been accused of a felony or a misdemeanor, Soroka & Associates can help. If we cannot have your charges dropped entirely, we may be able to negotiate lesser charges for you.

Do you handle drug charges in Columbus?

Our firm handles a broad array of drug charges, including:

  • Possession of marijuana and other drugs
  • Cultivation of marijuana
  • Conspiracy
  • Trafficking
  • Distribution and manufacturing
  • Obtaining prescription drugs illegally

A common defense in drug cases includes filing motions to suppress the evidence because the police did not have grounds to search you, your home, or your car, and did not have a warrant. Some defendants may be eligible for drug courts or other alternatives to criminal prosecution.

Can you help me with an OVI in Columbus?

Ohio uses the term Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI). Generally, you can be charged with an OVI if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 or more or you drove under the influence of drugs.

Even a first-time offense can result in jail time, a suspension of your driving privileges, and fines. Our Columbus OVI defense lawyers will explain what alternatives such as a Drivers Intervention Program or the use of an interlock ignition device (IID) can help with the sentencing and suspension conditions of a conviction.

At Soroka & Associates, we also represent OVI defendants:

  • Who have prior/repeat offenses, and/or
  • Who need representation at a Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) hearing which determines if your license will be suspended, for how long, and under what conditions.

Defenses may include challenging the validity of any breath tests, blood tests, or field sobriety tests – and the right of the police to stop you.

What are white-collar crimes?

White-collar crimes are generally crimes that involve money. The defenses generally involve a sophisticated review of the defendant’s job, access to financial records and accounts, analysis of the schemes used to illegally obtain funds and assets, and other financial activities.

We represent defendants charged with different types of corporate, business, government, and personal financial crimes including – fraud, embezzlement, bribery, insider trading, cybercrime, identify theft, embezzlement, and other crimes. We also represent defendants charged with RICO offenses and Ohio’s corruption statute Ohio’s corruption statute: R.C. 2923.32: Engaging in Pattern of Corrupt Activity.

Can you help if I’m accused of murder or homicide in Columbus?

At Soroka & Associates, we handle violent crimes including the crime with the most serious consequence the taking of a human life. Our Columbus defense lawyers understand the unique challenges involved in murder, homicide, manslaughter, and vehicular homicide cases.

  • Voluntary manslaughter occurs when a person knowingly causes the death of another person or the unlawful termination of another’s pregnancy by heat of passion, rage, or serious provocation by the victim. Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.03:
  • Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a person causes the death of another person or unlawfully terminates the pregnancy of another – by committing or attempting to commit a felony, or by attempting to commit or committing a misdemeanor or other regulatory offense. Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.04
  • Murder charges indicates a person purposefully caused the death of another person, unlawfully terminated another person’s pregnancy, or caused the death of another person from the commission of a first- or second-degree felony. Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.02

There are additional crimes for aggravated murder and for different types of vehicular homicide offenses.

These are the most serious charges you can face in Ohio; an aggressive strategy is needed to protect your rights and your future. We assert every legal and factual defense that applies on your behalf.

Do you handle sex crime charges in Columbus?

At Soroka & Associates, our lawyers understand how damaging these sex crime accusations are, including the criminal consequences, the damage to your reputation, and the loss of numerous rights. Along with the stigma attached to being charged with a sex crime, a conviction can result in mandatory, lengthy prison time and lifelong registration as a sex offender. Getting an experienced defense lawyer on your side quickly may mean the difference between the future you planned and a future in prison. Contact us for help if you are facing charges like:

  • Rape
  • Sexual battery
  • Gross sexual imposition

What is post-conviction relief?

Post-conviction relief is a formal request that the conviction be vacated or set aside, or that the terms of the sentencing be modified. There are strict time limits for requesting post-conviction relief. The procedures differ for state courts and federal courts.

For example, we may assert that DNA evidence shows that you are innocent of the crime. Many other arguments may apply depending on many different factors. Our Columbus criminal defense lawyers fight for clients after any conviction when there are reasonable grounds to challenge the conviction or the sentence.

What rights will I lose if I’m convicted of a crime in Columbus, OH?

The main right defendants may lose is their freedom. Most felonies and many serious misdemeanors will result in jail or prison time.

Anyone in Columbus who is convicted of a crime (especially if the crime is a felony) may lose:

  • Their right to own or possess a firearm
  • Their right to vote
  • Their right to drive a car
  • Their right to certain professional licenses or other types of licenses

Your right or ability to rent an apartment, find a job, and many other rights and privileges may also be affected

Which correctional facilities are in Columbus?

There are eight jails & prisons in Columbus, Ohio, serving a population of 852,144 people in an area of 219 square miles.

What types of defenses do you assert?

Our lawyers are seasoned criminal defense lawyers. We have a strong record of success in obtaining dismissals and jury trial acquittals. The defenses vary depending on the charges. Some of the common defenses we assert include assertions that:

  • The government violated your Constitutional rights. These include illegal searches and seizures, forcing you to incriminate yourself, failing to advise you of your Miranda rights, and other Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment violations.
  • The prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
  • The government entrapped you.
  • You have an alibi.
  • A lack of intent to commit the alleged crime.

We are skilled at the jury selection (voir dire) process, and arguing your case before a jury. Our lawyers are also skilled at negotiating plea bargains. The prosecution may agree to drop more serious charges, especially when you assert a strong defense with the help of our experienced Columbus criminal defense lawyers.

Do you have a criminal defense lawyer near me?

Soroka & Associates is located at 503 South Front Street, Suite 205 in Columbus. We are located close to Rt. 23 and I-71. We make in-custody visits, and can schedule phone consultations with family at your request.

Speak with a respected Columbus criminal defense lawyer today

Few people forget the moment they are pulled over, arrested, or served with a search warrant. In those critical moments, it is essential that you be able to reach your lawyer for advice and protection. Soroka & Associates is available 24/7 to answer your phone calls, meet you by the side of the road, or communicate with law enforcement officials on your behalf. We will meet you at the jailhouse or anywhere that you need our help.

When you are facing criminal charges, don’t take chances. Take control. Contact our Columbus criminal defense lawyers at 614-358-6525 or fill out our contact form as soon as possible to begin protecting your rights and maximize your chances of success. We serve clients in Columbus and throughout Central Ohio, including in Licking County, Delaware County, Fairfield County, and beyond.