Criminal charges, whether they come from Howard County police or the Maryland State Police, reach our district and circuit courts fast. In other words, there is very little backlog in the county that would cause a trial delay. Therefore, if you or someone you love has been recently arrested for or charged with a crime in Howard County, it’s critical that you contact an attorney immediately. The sooner you reach out to an experienced criminal defense attorney, the sooner they can begin gathering supporting evidence and preparing your case.
Contact Portner & Shure, P.A. today to speak to one of our Columbia criminal defense attorneys about your charges. Call or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation.
How We Can Help
Our criminal defense lawyers can help from the very beginning, starting at your bail review. If you or your loved one has been incarcerated before trial, we can work to get you or your loved one out on bail. In fact, this is helpful for our lawyers, as clients often can advise on ways to gather evidence for their own defense.
Our criminal attorneys also get involved in cases where you may have violated probation. Often, we are asked to represent criminal defendants in violation of probation hearings even though we were not the attorneys on the underlying criminal case. We are sought after in these cases because the stakes are so high. Losing a violation of probation hearing means the court can impose the underlying sentence; in other words, you could be once again facing incarceration.
Cases We Handle
At Portner & Shure, P.A., we provide aggressive and powerful defense for individuals facing all types of serious charges, including but not limited to:
- Burglary & Robbery
- Drug possession and distribution
- Gun charges
- Theft / shoplifting
- Embezzlement
- Speeding, reckless, traffic violations
- DUI/DWI
- Assault/battery
- Domestic violence
Regardless of the exact charges you are facing, we will sit down and meet with you to discuss your legal rights and options. Should you choose to work with our team, we will then request the state’s file and begin preparing your defense.
Providing Personalized Defense Strategies
No two situations are exactly the same and, as such, no two defenses should be identical. The defense strategy we take depends on several factors, including what we see in the state’s file and what you tell us. Common defenses, are a lack of evidence (the state has a high burden of proof and often cannot meet the burden of proof), as well as consent, self-defense, and numerous others. Employing these defenses, personalized to your situation, often helps our Columbia criminal defense lawyers avoid convictions for our clients.
We also work with you to develop arguments for mitigation. In other words, the reasons why you should not be convicted or incarcerated, based on things you did prior to the hearing. This might include things such as counseling, AA, alcohol or drug treatment, driver improvement class, or community service. Further, mitigation often involves bringing a character witness, employee, or supervisor, as well as detailing military, education, and job status.
Why Choose Portner & Shure, P.A.?
When you are facing serious criminal charges or when your loved one has been arrested, you need a legal team you can trust. Your very future is at stake—don’t make the mistake of hiring the wrong attorney to represent you.
At Portner & Shure, P.A., we have decades of legal experience and have helped numerous clients successfully avoid convictions. In 2020, The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys named us “10 Best Law Firms for Criminal Defense” and the “10 Best Law Firms” in all of Maryland.
