Felonies are the most serious crimes. Hire me and let the Judge & Prosecutor know how serious the defense of your case is to you.

Felonies are the most serious crimes. Hire me and let the Judge & Prosecutor know how serious the defense of your case is to you.

Michael J. Upton, Attorney at Law | Text or Call Now: 205.799.3800

If you have been arrested for a Felony, or are under investigation for a Felony charge, or possibly several Felonies, you need to understand that these are the most serious criminal charges under Alabama law.

In Alabama, there are three classes of Felony cases, each with a significant "range of punishment":

- Class A Felony: Minimum Sentence: 10 Years in the State Penitentiary. Some examples of Class A Felonies are:

  • Murder
  • Robbery in the First Degree
  • Burglary in the First Degree
  • Rape in the First Degree
  • Kidnapping in the First Degree

In those kinds of cases, if a gun (firearm) is used, the minimum sentence is 20 years if convicted of that charge.

For any Class A Felony, the maximum sentence is Life in the State Penitentiary (with or possibly without the chance of parole)

NOTE: THE "85 % RULE" APPLIES TO A CONVICTION FOR A VIOLENT CLASS A FELONY. THIS RULE REQUIRES THE DEFENDANT TO SERVE 85% OF THE TOTAL SENTENCE BEFORE BEING ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE, OR 15 YEARS, WHICHEVER IS LESS. (Make sure your Criminal Defense Lawyer has a lot of experience in cases with this much at stake!)

CAPITAL MURDER
CAPITAL MURDER IS A MURDER THAT INCLUDES AN 'AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE' SUCH AS MURDER 'DURING A ROBBERY'. IF CONVICTED, THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE SENTENCES:
  • LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT ANY POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE
  • DEATH BY LETHAL INJECTION

< SEE THE LINKS PROVIDED ON THE NOTABLES PAGE FOR A FEW EXAMPLES OF RESULTS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET FOR CLIENTS CHARGED WITH CAPITAL MURDER>

- Class B Felony: Minimum Sentence: 2 Years in the State Penitentiary, maximum sentence: 20 years in the State Penitentiary. Some examples of Class B Felonies are:
  • Manslaughter
  • Assault in the First Degree
  • Rape in the Second Degree (aka 'Statutory Rape' by illegal age difference)
  • Burglary in the Second Degree
  • Robbery in the Second Degree
  • Theft in the First Degree
  • Distribution (or Sale or Delivery) of Marijuana
  • Distribution (or Sale or Delivery) of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Adderall, 'Ecstasy', Synthetic Marijuana (aka 'Spice'), Lortab, Oxycontin)

- Class C Felony: Minimum Sentence: 1 Year in the State Penitentiary, Maximum Sentence: 10 Years in the State Penitentiary:
  • Possession of Marijuana in the First Degree
  • Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Adderall, 'Ecstasy', Synthetic Marijuana (aka 'Spice'), Lortab , Oxycontin)
  • Theft in the Second Degree
  • Assault in the Second Degree
  • Robbery in the Third Degree
  • Burglary in the Third Degree

Imagine how your life could be impacted by hiring the wrong attorney to defend your Felony case. Make no mistake, the Criminal Defense Lawyer you hire to represent you will be one of the most important choices you will ever face.

Your future is on the line. Shopping around for the cheapest lawyer to defend your felony case brings the old adage to life:

"YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR."

I give each and every potential client the same advice:

"This is your case, not the attorney's. Make sure you hire someone that you are comfortable with, and make sure your lawyer specializes in Criminal Defense".

With this much on the line, you want the get the best lawyer for your situation.

If you came to me with a bankruptcy case, I'd send you to any number of bankruptcy specialists. Likewise, you shouldn't even consider an attorney that doesn't specialize in Criminal Defense and makes Criminal Defense the primary focus of his or her practice.

Criminal Defense has been the primary focus of my law practice since 1998.

If someone makes a mistake preparing a deed or a contract, those can be fixed. Mistakes in criminal cases can rarely be fixed, and can result in a lifetime of negative consequences:

-PRISON

-LOSS OF FAMILY & FRIENDS

-LOSS OF PROPERTY & INCOME

-LOSS OF REPUTATION

I tell every client charged with a crime the same thing...'if your case is a game of poker, you are the only one with any money on the table'. In other words, the government can prosecute you with nothing to gain and more importantly, nothing to lose.

Don't gamble your future away by hiring the wrong lawyer.

Text me now to arrange your Free Consultation.