Criminal and DUI Defense

PORTLAND CRIMINAL ATTORNEY

Facing criminal charges in Portland?

At Portland Defender, we know that if you have been accused of a crime, you feel stressed and confused. Your family and close friends will have those same feelings. You have plenty of questions, about how much a good lawyer will cost, what punishment you might be facing, and how you can defend yourself from the criminal accusations. And the bottom line is that you want the best criminal defense lawyer you can hire. We provide our clients with criminal defense expertise based on previous experience helping hundreds of people facing criminal charges. We are ready to spend the time and energy on your case to ensure that you get the best result.

Free Initial Consultations from a Portland Criminal Attorney

Before you hire us, we want you to get a good feel for our personality, experience and style.  At Portland Defender, you can have a free, confidential initial consultation where you can learn about the upcoming process, how a criminal defense lawyer may be able to help, and some potential strategies for getting the best outcome in your case. You can call right now at (503) 592-0606 to get a consultation free of charge. When you speak to an attorney at Portland Defender, you will be presumed innocent and treated with respect. If you have the courage to hire a lawyer and face your case, we have the courage to defend you. If anyone has accused you of a crime, or if you suspect that the police are investigating you, protect yourself by calling Portland Defender today. Even if it is an evening or a weekend, if your situation is urgent, Portland Defender will be there for you.

From Minor Misdemeanors to Serious Felonies

Your case might be for a relatively-minor offense, or it might be for a serious Measure 11 crime. Either way, we know your case is a big deal to you, and that means it is a big deal to us. Portland Defender knows how to respond quickly to new criminal matters to help our clients. From lesser offenses like petty theft, reckless driving, and possession of marijuana and other drugs, to major felonies like first-degree assault or sex abuse, you can count on Portland Defender for an excellent criminal defense lawyer.

Oregon Misdemeanor Crimes

If you have been accused of a misdemeanor, you are facing a lesser offense that can still have serious consequences. There are three types of misdemeanors in Oregon:

Although those are the maximum punishments for those misdemeanors, the typical sentences are far
less than the maximum. Judges want to look at the circumstances of the crime and a person’s criminal background before making a decision on a misdemeanor sentence. If you are convicted of a misdemeanor, you will almost always be put on probation, either formal or informal. With informal probation, you have no probation officer, and usually the only requirement is that you stay out of trouble. Formal probation means you have a probation officer to whom you must report. If you mess up while on probation, you can be given more punishment for the crime you were on probation for.

Oregon Felony Crimes

Felony crimes are serious offenses like murder, kidnapping, rape, arson and robbery. Felony
convictions can result in prison time. There are three basic classes of felony offenses in Oregon:

Felony sentencing in Oregon is now controlled by the “Oregon Sentencing Guidelines Grid,” which
indicates the typical jail or prison sentence for a particular crime based on the offense’s “Crime
Seriousness Level” (1 to 11) and the defendant’s criminal background (A to I ). For example, third-degree robbery has a crime seriousness level of 5; if a person convicted of robbery 3 has no criminal
background, they should expect a sentence of probation and 60 days in jail. If that same person had
three or more serious felonies on their record, they could be looking at 16 months in prison.
Felony sentencing can be very complicated, and it can involve dozens of additional factors, all of which a Portland Defender criminal lawyer can help you understand.

We Can Help With DUI Charges

Drunk driving, also known as DUI or DUII, is one of the most commonly-charged crimes in Portland. But, it can also be one of the most complicated types of cases. There is often complicated scientific and expert evidence at issue, and Oregon prosecutors often go to great efforts to show the jury only certain parts of the evidence in a case. And the punishments for DUI seem to always be getting tougher. If you or a loved one have been accused of DUI, the smart thing to do is to get a good DUI lawyer. Portland Defender can conduct a thorough investigation, interview the important witnesses and evaluate all of the evidence in order to ensure that you get the best possible outcome for your DUI arrest.

How Much Will It Cost?

Every case is different, but when you are hiring a lawyer, you want to know what legal bill to expect. When you get a free initial consultation from Portland Defender, you should end the conversation knowing exactly how much your attorney will cost because we handle almost all criminal cases on a flat fee basis. Our clients pay one up-front fee and they are done. No bills in the mail months from now, no worrying about our hourly billing rate. If you have hired Portland Defender, you can call or email your criminal defense lawyer in the middle of your case, you won’t be charged anything extra. For our clients’ convenience, we accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover, and you can make your payment through Portland Defender’s website.

Not Just Portland

Most of Portland Defender’s clients have cases at the Multnomah County Courthouse in downtown
Portland, Oregon and many others face charges in Washington County and Clackamas County. But,
Portland Defender has helped Oregonians in places all across the state, from small beach towns on
Oregon’s coast, throughout the Willamette valley and as far away as Lake County in Southeast Oregon. Wherever your case is in Oregon, we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us today for a free consultation at (503) 592-0606.