Scottsdale Criminal Defense Lawyer

Being charged with a crime in Scottsdale can leave you overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn. At The Law Offices of Brandon White, we know you’re not a bad person; you’re someone facing a hard moment and a confusing process. We’re here to meet you with patience and straight answers, not judgment.

With 30 years of combined experience and a team that includes a former state police officer and a former prosecutor, we understand how criminal cases are built. We keep you informed at every step and focus on what a real win looks like for you.

Reach out today for a consultation, and let’s start protecting your future.

Why Choose Our Scottsdale Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you’re facing a serious criminal charge, you need an experienced lawyer who actually shows up for you.

Here’s what sets our criminal defense lawyers in Scottsdale apart from other law firms:

• We return calls quickly and keep you informed at every step
• We travel to you for consultations and work around your schedule when we can
• When you hire with us, you work with a defense attorney who listens
• We treat every client like a person, never a case number
• We’ve provided strong legal representation for clients across Arizona since 2015

Contact us today to get the legal advice and advocacy you need to fight the charges you’re facing. We’ll guide you through the legal process, answer any questions you have about criminal law, and pursue the best outcome possible.

Types of Cases We Handle

Our Scottsdale criminal defense law firm takes on a wide range of cases, from traffic-related charges to serious felonies. No matter what you’re facing, we’ll bring the same level of attention and care to your defense. 

Depending on the details of your case, we’ll connect you with one of the following lawyers from our team:

• Scottsdale DUI Lawyer: A DUI or aggravated DUI charge can affect your license, your job, and your criminal record for years. We’ll review every detail of your stop and arrest to build the strongest possible DUI defense.
• Scottsdale Vehicular Crimes Lawyer: Charges like reckless driving, hit-and-run, or vehicular endangerment carry serious penalties in Arizona. Our Scottsdale criminal defense attorneys will fight to protect your driving privileges and your future.
• Scottsdale Criminal Traffic Ticket Lawyer: Not all traffic tickets are simple fines. Some are criminal charges that can land on your permanent record. We’ll work to get yours reduced, dismissed, or kept off your record if possible.
• Scottsdale Violent Crimes Lawyer: Violent crime charges like assault or domestic violence carry harsh and lasting consequences. We’ll stand by you, examine the evidence carefully, and push back on the prosecution’s claims.
• Scottsdale White Collar Crimes Lawyer: Fraud, embezzlement, and similar charges often involve complicated forms of evidence and long investigations. We’ll dig into the details, build solid defense strategies, and work to protect your reputation, finances, and freedom.

What to Do if You’ve Been Charged With a Crime in Scottsdale

What you do after a criminal charge matters. The steps you take can impact the strength of your case and the final outcome of the legal process.

Our criminal defense attorneys in Scottsdale recommend taking the following steps after an arrest:

• Stay calm and avoid discussing your case with anyone but your criminal defense attorney
• Write down everything you remember about the incident while it’s fresh in your mind
• Save any texts, emails, photos, or documents that may be relevant to your case
• Don’t post about criminal charges or the events that led to your arrest on social media
• Show up to every court date and follow any conditions of your release
• Contact a Scottsdale criminal defense attorney as soon as possible

We understand the criminal law process for DUI defense, white collar crimes, violent crimes, drug crimes, and many other types of cases. We have attorneys with experience on the other side of cases like yours. We know how these cases are built and how they fall apart.

No matter how serious your charges are, you can count on us to draw on our experience with the legal and criminal justice system to make your defense as strong as possible.

Steps of an Adult Criminal Process

Depending on whether you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor out of Scottsdale City Court or a felony within the Scottsdale City Limits, where your case would then be out of Maricopa County Superior Court, the exact trial process may differ slightly.

Let’s break down the general stages of a criminal case in Scottsdale:

Charging Procedure

After a state investigation into a crime, a prosecutor, or attorney for the State of Arizona, may file charges against a person based on evidence collected during the investigation. These charges can be filed through a direct complaint, in which the judge approves the charges against a suspect.

Sometimes, a prosecutor may gather a grand jury, which is a group of at least nine citizens. This group determines whether there is sufficient evidence to try a suspect for a crime.

Initial Appearance

If a judge or grand jury allows the prosecutor to charge the suspect, then the suspect, now called a defendant, must appear in front of a judge within 24 hours of their arrest.

At this initial appearance, the defendant is made aware of the charges against them, informed of their right to an attorney, and informed of the conditions of their release. For instance, a lesser, nonviolent offender may be released on their own recognizance, whereas a more serious offender might be held in jail.

Status Conference

If the prosecutor filed a direct complaint, this conference is the first opportunity for the prosecutor, also known as the State, to resolve the case with the defendant without going to trial. 

This arrangement is known as a plea; the prosecutor and defense generally negotiate a lesser sentence for the defendant, but every plea agreement and case looks different. However, if the prosecutor got approval from a grand jury, then the status conference and preliminary hearing are canceled, or “vacated.”

Preliminary Hearing

Once the charges are filed through a direct complaint, the prosecutor presents the evidence that they believe creates “probable cause” that the defendant committed the crime. This step, known as the preliminary hearing, allows the judge to determine whether a defendant should stand trial.

Arraignment

The arraignment happens within 10 days of the filing of the direct complaint unless the defendant has “pleaded out,” or negotiated a plea agreement, by this point. 

During the arraignment, the defendant is once more made aware of the charges against them, advised of their right to a criminal defense lawyer in Scottsdale, and asked to enter a plea to their charges.

It is at this point that a defendant will either plead “not guilty” or “guilty” to the charges.

Pretrial Actions

During this period, many important court functions are performed, such as discovery of evidence and a settlement conference. The outcomes of these meetings and procedures depend drastically on the case and your attorney’s discretion.

Plea Agreement

By this point, if the defendant has decided to accept a plea offer, then they may change their plea to guilty and proceed to sentencing. 

Trial

If an agreement has not yet been reached, then a case goes to trial. During the trial, both sides present evidence on their behalf to determine whether the defendant committed the crime “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Sentencing

The sentencing phase is the part during which a judge officially hands down their sentence to the defendant. This is where any jail time, fines, probation, or other penalties are determined and imposed.

A criminal defense attorney in Scottsdale can advise you on the penalties you’re facing and fight to help you avoid the worst consequences.

Contact The Law Offices of Brandon White

As you can see, the criminal process in Scottsdale and in Maricopa County can be daunting and confusing. Don’t go it alone. Our experienced attorneys, made up of former state police officers and former prosecutors, can put our experience to use for you in your Scottsdale criminal case.

Let us work toward the best outcome possible. Contact The Law Offices of Brandon White for a consultation today. We’ll meet with you to answer any questions you have and explain how our Scottsdale criminal defense lawyer will help you.