Albuquerque Criminal Lawyer Blog

Many times clients are confused on the difference between a criminal domestic violence action and a civil domestic violence action. There are many distinctions between the two, too many to enumerate them all here. In short, however, each is extremely serious and should be treated as such.

A criminal domestic violence action usually begins with a criminal complaint alleging battery on a household member or assault on a household member. In Albuquerque, these are filed in Metropolitan Court. In other areas, including Rio Rancho and Sandoval County, they are filed in magistrate court. In cases involving serious injury or deadly weapons, the cases will be filed as felony domestic violence and the case will eventually be transferred to District Court.

A civil domestic violence action begins with a Petition for Order of Protection Against Domestic Abuse. In most areas of New Mexico including Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe, these cases are heard by a domestic violence hearing officer. These are not criminal in nature. As such, the standard of proof is not as rigorous as in a criminal proceeding and sometimes it seems that the hearing officers are predisposed to make a finding of domestic violence despite the evidence. On the other hand, a finding of domestic violence in a civil hearing will not result in criminal penalties such as probation or jail time.

In both the criminal and civil domestic violence actions, the alleged perpetrator of domestic violence will be ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim. In a criminal case, the "no contact" provision will be in the Order Setting Conditions of Release. In the civil action, a Temporary Order of Protection is issued upon filing the Petition for Order of Protection from Domestic Abuse. This Temporary Order will remain in effect until the hearing which usually is set within 10 days of service of the Order on the Respondent (alleged perpetrator). If there is a finding of domestic violence at the hearing on the Petition for Order of Protection, the Order of Protection will be extended for 6 months. It may be extended an additional 6 months for good cause on a Motion to Extend Order of Protection.

In both the civil and criminal cases, a violation of the "no-contact" provisions have very serious consequences. Violations of these Orders is a crime. In fact, violation can be charged as a felony in the criminal case with very serious penal consequences. In the criminal case, the defendant will be arrested and the judge may order the defendant held in custody until the trial date. In addition, the defendant will likely face new charges including possible felony domestic violence. In the civil case, a violation of the no-contact order can and typically does result in a finding of contempt for which the Respondent can be taken into custody often times for 10 days, though the judge can order a longer time period.

In addition to the distinctions above, the jurisdiction of the court over matters related to the parties is very different. The family court domestic violence officer can address who stays in the home, generally the alleged victim. The domestic violence hearing officer can also address temporary child custody and time-sharing , and child support. The criminal court cannot address these issues as its jurisdiction is limited to criminal prosecution. However, the no-contact order in the Order Setting Conditions of Release often has the effect of awarding the home to the alleged victim.

It is important that you understand the difference in these two proceeding if you have been accused of domestic violence. Though the criminal case may appear much more serious, the reality is that the civil case has much broader consequences addressing property rights, child custody and child support. And of course, a finding of domestic violence in the family court has most of the same negative consequences of a criminal conviction such as immigration consequences, employment consequences and gun ownership to name a few.

In short, in either case, you should contact an attorney immediately upon learning of allegations of domestic violence. The possible consequences are too severe to take these matters lightly.

www.CollinsAttorneys.com

The collateral consequences of a criminal conviction can often outweigh the criminal penalties. The employment consequences can be particularly problematic. The impact of a criminal conviction on employment can be difficult to determine because the laws and regulations are often industry specific and are therefore found in the industry codes and regulations.

However, it is clear that many convictions will impact future employment. Most employers (80% of large corporations and 69% of small businesses) conduct background checks on all employees. It is estimated that two-thirds of employers will not hire a former offender. Due to the widespread practice of background checks along with the reluctance to hire those convicted of crimes, chances are a conviction will have serious consequences for your future employment.

In fact, there are many occupations where employment is barred completely by a variety of offenses, not all of which are felonies. Most professions and occupations will bar licensure in cases of felony convictions. In addition, many also bar licensure in cases of dishonesty or fraud. These categories cover a lot of ground, not unlike the crimes of moral turpitude classification critical to immigration cases. Those professions involving fiduciary responsibilities such as banking and financial services also carry bans for convictions involving breach of trust and money laundering.

Even where a conviction does not create an absolute bar, licensing agencies often may refuse licensing on the grounds of moral character. Those offenses reflecting on moral character can be quite broad ranging from failure to pay child support, domestic violence/battery on a household member, crimes of dishonesty, fraud and certainly any felony conviction.

There a number of professions that bar employment for controlled substance offenses including the medical profession, law enforcement, and private security. And of course, convictions for controlled substance offenses can be used in judging moral character. The problem with the controlled substance conviction is that by statute in New Mexico, marijuana remains classified as a controlled substance. As such, a marijuana conviction can potentially harm potential employment opportunities in the future.

Finally, many occupations and professions will have occupation specific bars. The most obvious case is daycare and teaching for those convicted of sex crimes. Again, charges for sex crimes can sometimes involve what would appear to rational people to be relatively innocent behavior. The most egregious abuse of sex crime statutes involves prosecution of young men and women, and even children, for sexual exploitation for carrying or transmitting explicit pictures of friends/classmates on their mobile phones. A conviction for even this can carry lifetime registration as a sex offender with all the employment consequences of said registration.

It is important to know the employment consequences of a conviction as you move forward in your case. Unfortunately, some charges are so severe that there is little room to maneuver or avoid the possible employment consequences without taking even greater risks of criminal consequences. However, it is important that you understand all of the collateral consequences of a conviction which often go well beyond punishment by the courts.

www.CollinsAttorneys.com

The Albuquerque Journal reported today that a bill toughening DWI/DUI penalties for first offenders died in the New Mexico Senate yesterday. The bill was considered a top priority for New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

The bill would have established mandatory jail time or community custody for first time DWI/DUI offenders. The bill would have required a minimum 3 day jail sentence or 30 day community custody for first time offenders. Community custody requires electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet) 24 hours a day for those in the program. Both jail time and community custody are very costly. These costs apparently derailed the bill.

Those in opposition to the bill pointed to the unfunded costs in the program. They also pointed to the strain the program would place on already overcrowded jails throughout New Mexico. Finally, at least one senator, Bernadette Sanchez of Albuquerque, addressed the problem of overreliance on penalties and too little emphasis on treatment.

There were 150 DWI/DUI fatalities in New Mexico in 2009. 70 percent of those were caused by first time offenders. Governor Richardson and others have argued that tougher penalties will act as a deterrent. Richardson first proposed the bill when a drunk driver crashed into a carload full of teens in the summer of 2009 killing 4 of the teenagers.

DWI/DUI is a very serious problem in New Mexico. 150 deaths is unacceptable. The real challenge is to address the problem in a manner that effectively reduces drinking and driving. The reality is that every DWI/DUI carries mandatory jail time. The DWI/DUI offender is arrested and jailed pending a first appearance. Often, the timing of the arrest over the weekend will carry 2 or more days in jail before the first hearing is set for release.

Mandatory jail time will likely have no greater deterrent value than the deterrents currently in place which include arrest, jail, courts costs, fines, counseling, probation, community service, loss of driving privileges and vehicle seizure among others. If this is not enough, the attorney fees can be financially crippling for some.

The penalties and costs of DWI/DUI are pretty staggering as the law currently stands. A new approach is needed beyond the customary call for stiffer jail time. What that approach would be remains to be seen.

www.CollinsAttorneys.com

DWI/DUI is taken very seriously in New Mexico. Strict DWI/DUI enforcement is intended to deter drunk driving. As such, the laws are very strictly enforced throughout New Mexico and the consequences of a DWI/DUI conviction can be severe. In fact, Albuquerque police go even further arresting and charging people for DWI even when they have not been driving.

Due to the strict enforcement of DWI/DUI laws, people arrested for a 1st time DWI first want to know whether they will be going to jail. The next question often relates to their driver's license. Finally, they typically want or need to know the other penalties and fines associated with DWI/DUI in New Mexico.

For a first time offender, the worst case outcome is generally sentencing to the First Offender Program. As part of the First Offender Program, the defendant's sentencing is deferred for one year. The defendant is placed on supervised probation during this one year period. In addition, following conditions are imposed on the defendant as part of the First Offender Program:

1. DWI School,

2. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Screening,

3. Counseling and Treatment if recommended following screening,

4. Attendance of the Victim Impact Panel,

5. Random drug and alcohol testing if deemed necessary by probation following screening,

6. No consumption or possession of alcohol or illegal drugs,

7. Installation of an ignition interlock device on the defendant's vehicle for 1 year (this allows the defendant to continue to drive while on probation),

8. Community service which is typically 24 hours,

9. Payment of Court Costs, and

10. Payment of probation costs (these are often waived by the Court).

This is the standard sentence for a simple first time DWI/DUI in New Mexico. This sentence is imposed whether or not the defendant enters a plea or loses at trial. Thus, many simple first DWI's will go to trial since there is no difference in the penalties between a conviction on a plea versus conviction at trial.

The decision of whether or not to go to trial is made more difficult in an Aggravated DWI case. Conviction on an Aggravated DWI carries mandatory 48 hour jail time. Aggravated DWI is charged in cases where the driver's breath alcohol score is .16 or higher, the driver refused the breath alcohol test, or there was an accident involving alcohol.

Because of the mandatory 48 jail time, many DWI defendants do not want to risk a conviction of Aggravated DWI at trial. The result is that many, if not most, Aggravated DWI cases plea to a simple first DWI prior to trial which allows the defendant to enter the First Offender Program.

So getting back to the opening, the question is whether a first time DWI defendant will go to jail, and whether he or she will be able to drive following conviction on a DWI. The answer to the first question is that it is very unlikely under the current state of New Mexico law that a first time DWI defendant will go to jail unless he or she is convicted on an Aggravated DWI. The answer to the second question is yes, the defendant will be allowed to drive with an interlock license.

www.CollinsAttorneys.com

It is estimated that drug violence has claimed over 16,000 lives in Mexico during the past three years. These deaths have resulted from a virtual war between the Mexican government and the drug cartels. The cash crop is marijuana.

The cartels are turning increasingly to child runners. Mexican drug gangs are recruiting children as drug runners and mules. The Texas Department of Public Safety refers to the child recruitment campaign as "scare and awe." The awe comes in the form of the promise of easy money and status while the fear comes in the form of torture and death.

Several states now have medicinal marijuana programs, including New Mexico. It is estimated that California has up to 2000 medical marijuana dispensaries. There is now even a Cannabis University, Oaksterdam University, that teaches people how to grow and dispense weed. Yet New Mexico, and Albuquerque in particular, continues to prosecute possession very aggressively. God forbid, you have over 8 ounces in your possession because you will likely then be charged with distribution.

Lives continue to be ruined on both sides of the border as a result of the war on drugs and the prosecution of marijuana possession. Thousands of lives have been lost, children are exploited and even tortured, immigrants are deported routinely for marijuana possession, people are hauled into court for minor possession, and those with more than 8 ounces can face 2nd degree felony trafficking charges carrying up to 9 years in prison.

No amount of reason has worked thus far to alter the enforcement of the marijuana laws. Perhaps, reason simply lacks the persuasive force of profits. This is particularly so when the insurance industry is involved. Due to the explosive growth of the medical marijuana industry, a new cottage insurance industry catering to the needs of the medical marijuana industry has sprouted up. Insurance is now available for everything from standard worker's compensation to crop theft insurance.

Medical marijuana is becoming big business California leads the country with as many as 2000 medical marijuana dispensaries. Colorado is a distant second with 60. However, the number is growing in the states that have legalized medical marijuana. You can bet the industry is growing when the insurance industry has taken note.

The insurance industry is generally much maligned and for good reason. Maybe, the very greed that is generally so repulsive in the insurance industry will lead to positive social change as the medical marijuana industry takes root. Perhaps, similar profit motives will dictate more enlightened marijuana policies across the board as the insurance industry spots new profit centers. Where the logic of saving lives, saving children from exploitation and torture, saving immigrants from deportation for minor possession, and saving otherwise law abiding citizens from often harsh and inhumane prosecution has fallen on deaf ears, the logic of capitalism will hopefully carry the day. This is a rare occasion when I am pulling for the insurance industry to make more money.

www.CollinsAttorneys.com

Legalization of marijuana is picking up steam in California. It is expected that there will be enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot in 2010. Possession of marijuana remains a crime under federal law. Possession of marijuana remains a crime in New Mexico, classified as possession of a controlled substance. The police in New Mexico continue to make arrests for marijuana. Likewise, they continue to allege intent to distribute for relatively small amounts of marijuana.

All the while the State of New Mexico continues to move forward with its groundbreaking medical marijuana program. There has been a shortage of medical marijuana. There has to date been only one licensed grower and distributor. There are currently 25 applications for non-profit licenses for the production and distribution of medical marijuana. Seven of these applications have been forwarded to the New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil.

There is bound to be a clash between the States of New Mexico and California and the Federal Government. The U.S. Supreme Court also has ruled that federal law enforcement agents have the authority to enforce and prosecute the federal laws against the production, sale and possession of marijuana even against state sanctioned programs. It is unclear whether the federal government will be able to force the cooperation of state and local governments in these activities. Without the assistance of state and local law enforcement, the federal government would be hard pressed to enforce the federal laws in California, a state of 40 million. The numbers are telling. In 2008, there were 847,000 marijuana related arrests. Only 6300 of these were made by federal law enforcement, representing less than 1% of the total.

It remains to be seen if New Mexico will follow the lead of California. Or will limit the legal use of marijuana to medical purposes thereby continuing to criminalize a harmless and common activity. The harm to otherwise law-abiding citizens goes well beyond the criminal penalties, which can be fairly severe in the case of possession of 8 ounces or more, which is classified as a 4th degree felony, and possession with intent to distribute which is at a minimum a 4th degree felony. Conviction can impact not only employment, but education since some convictions carry with the disqualifications for federal student loans or other aid.

The International Drug Policy Reform Conference will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 12-14. The conference was held in Albuquerque in 2001. It returns because the presumably New Mexico is a "beacon of reform" because of its innovative Good Samaritan laws passed to prevent fatal overdose, and its medical marijuana initiatives.

There will be a variety of drug law reform advocates including doctors, lawyers, activists, educators and law enforcement. Much of the discussion will center on the recent tide of support for the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

The War on Drugs has clearly failed. The War on Drugs destroys the lives of otherwise productive, law-abiding citizens. It also enriches and empowers the drug cartels. The War on Drugs has never appreciably affected drug use. Instead, it has placed a huge tax burden on federal, state and local governments. The enforcement, prosecution and punishment of drug use costs the country billions upon billions of dollars per year. This is in fact probably the reason for the new enlightened views on legalization. With governmental budgets devastated by the ongoing recession, necessity has led to enlightenment.

It remains to be seen whether Albuquerque will live up to the honorary title of "beacon of reform." Neither the Albuquerque Police Department nor the District Attorney in Albuquerque have gotten the memo. Instead, marijuana possession continues to be prosecuted quite aggressively.

The potential penalties for possession of marijuana in New Mexico remain severe. Possession of marijuana in any quantity is still considered possession of a controlled substance. Misdemeanor possession of less than 8 ounces carries up to one year in jail. Felony possession of 8 ounces or more carries criminal penalties of up to 18 months in prison. Possession of more the 30 grams carries deportation consequences. A second offense of less than 30 grams carries deportation consequences. Hopefully, someone from City of Albuquerque will attend the International Drug Policy Reform Conference. They should at least be aware of their purported leadership role in this important trend.

There is a small but growing trend toward the decriminalization of marijuana. Albuquerque and New Mexico, despite taking a lead on medical marijuana, lag behind the trend toward decriminalization.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated that legalization needs to be studied closely. Massachusetts voters approved a referendum decriminalizing marijuana. Denver has passed a law making adult marijuana possession the lowest law enforcement priority.

Other countries have gone much further. Portugal decriminalized all drug possession. The feared spike in drug use never materialized. Several Latin American countries are following the lead of Portugal including Brazil and Colombia, who have called on other countries in the region to follow suit. Surprisingly, there has been no reaction from the United States government when in years past these trends would have been met with severe diplomatic reactions.

The American people seem to accept marijuana use. Polls have shown that over 50% believe that marijuana should be legalized, taxed and regulated. These folks have it right. This approach would have numerous positive effects. First, it would bring tax dollars all but bankrupt governments at the Federal, State and local levels. Second, it would reduce the power, wealth and influence of organized crime which is a very serious threat to United States national security. Third, it would save State and local governments huge budgetary waste expended on enforcement, prosecution and punishment of this completely harmless crime. Finally, it would stop ruining the lives of those caught up in these senseless policies.

Despite these trends, and New Mexico's forward looking vision on medical marijuana, the State and Albuquerque in particular continue to take a hard stand on marijuana possession. Marijuana is still considered a controlled substance. Possession of marijuana is classified as possession of a controlled substance. Possession of less than 8 ounces is a misdemeanor, possession of more than 8 ounces is a felony. Even a charge for possession of a controlled substance can have devastating consequences to a defendant. A conviction can have many serious consequences beyond even the penal consequences.

New Mexico, and Albuquerque should take the lead here as they have in other areas such as immigration and medical marijuana. The current enforcement policies are barbaric to the those unfortunate enough to be caught in the system, and neglectful of responsibilities to our taxpayers.

Marijuana use in New Mexico and throughout the United States seems be generally accepted. Stories have appeared this month alone on the Today Show, Marie Claire magazine, Variety, and even Forbes depicting marijuana use in relatively favorable light. Forbes described the medical marijuana trend as a step toward the end of prohibition.

Many of our top political figures including Bill Clinton, Barak Obama, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger and even George W. Bush have admitted to smoking marijuana in the past. Yet more than 750,000 people are arrested every year on charges of marijuana possession. New York, where the mayor has admitted past marijuana use, leads the way with 40,000+ arrests each year.

The fact that law enforcement and prosecutors continue to bring these cases at great costs to taxpayers, and often catastrophic costs to the defendant, is disappointing to put it mildly. More disturbing, however, is the racial component of the arrests. Though Anglos smoke pot at higher rates than blacks or Latinos, and make up the majority of the United States population, the great majority of those arrested for marijuana are black or Latino. In New York, called the marijuana arrest capitol of the world, blacks and Latinos are 87% of those charged.

Possession of less than 8 ounces of marijuana in New Mexico is a misdemeanor. Possession of over 8 ounces is a 4th degree felony. Most possession charges fall in the misdemeanor category. Though misdemeanor possession my seem to some like a trivial criminal matter, marijuana is stilled considered a controlled substance. Possession of a Controlled Substance in New Mexico carries very serious consequences well beyond the penal consequences.

The trend toward medical marijuana and what Forbes describes as the end of prohibition cannot move fast enough for those unfortunate enough to be arrested for what is pretty well accepted by all a harmless act.

Many of the Courts and Prosecutors around New Mexico, including Albuquerque and Rio Rancho have Pre Prosecution programs for certain felony offenders. These programs are restricted to first time non-violent, non-drug trafficking offenders.

If you are charged with a non-violent, non-trafficking felony offense, and you have no prior criminal history, you may be eligible for Pre Prosecution Probation. If you are accepted into the program, the charges against you are dismissed, and you are placed on probation for one to two years. These programs are very beneficial to both the offender and to the State. The program saves the offender from consequences of a felony conviction. The program saves the State the costs of prosecution, supervised probation or imprisonment of qualified first offenders.

The real hurdle to getting into the program for many is that the program requires an admission of guilt or responsibility for the charges. Many individuals have a very hard time with these admissions when they feel that they have been wrongfully accused. The decision is made more difficult by the fact that the admission can later be used against the individual if admission to the program is denied or if the person is expelled from the program for a violation of its terms.

Once admitted, the person must comply with all the conditions of the program including community service, full time employment or school, random drug testing, regular reporting to the probation officer, a prison tour, and payment of all probation costs and drug tests costs. A person faces expulsion from the program for violation of these terms. In addition, a person can be expelled for any felony charge, a charge of DWI/DUI or a charge of Domestic Violence.

Though the terms may seem harsh to some, they are far less severe than a conviction or regular probation. The benefit of escaping a felony conviction for most makes the program worth doing.

Domestic Violence in Albuquerque is taken very seriously. The District Attorneys in Albuquerque, and many others throughout New Mexico have a very strict policy against dismissing domestic violence cases no matter how weak the evidence. In fact, they rarely dismiss a domestic violence case even when it is perfectly clear that there was no act of domestic violence committed.

This position seems unreasonable to most, particularly those caught up in this policy. The policy is extremely frustrating for those wrongfully accused and forced to endure a wrongful prosecution. Often times, even the alleged victim suffers the severe financial and emotional consequences of these policies. In short, a domestic violence proceeding is extremely stressful, and a even just the charge of domestic violence can have significant consequences.

This is true for U.S. citizens. The consequences for non-citizens can be disastrous. A conviction for domestic violence can result in deportation and inadmissibility of non-citizens. There are few options for domestic violence cases. Typically, the most a district attorney will offer is Early Intervention Program. This program ultimately results in a dismissal. However admission to the program requires an admission of responsibility. Some judges require an admission of guilt.

These admissions can trigger the immigration consequences of deportation and inadmissibility. As a result, Early Intervention Program is probably not an option for the non-citizen. An admission of guilt is simply not an option for the non-citizen. Often, the only option for the non-citizen is a trial. And any trial carries risks due to the unpredictable nature of jury trials, or bench trials for that matter.

If you are not a citizen and you are facing domestic violence charges, you need to be very careful about taking any kind of plea. If you have the resources, you should seek the assistance of both a criminal attorney and an immigration attorney so that you can understand and weigh all of your options. Be careful, or you may feel the fleeting joy of what is seemingly a beneficial outcome of your case, as you soon learn that you are now subject to deportation.

If you are charged with a crime and you are not a United States citizen, you could be facing some very serious immigration consequences. If fact, the immigration consequences could be much more serious than the criminal punishment.

On many occasions, a criminal attorney will fail to appropriately consider the immigration consequences of the criminal charges. Many times, the criminal attorney is surprised himself to hear of the severe consequences of seemingly trivial crimes. On still more occasions, the criminal attorney is able to work out would otherwise be a great plea for the client. The plea might even result in the ultimate dismissal of the case, yet the client is still facing deportation for the crime.

The law is fairly complex and common sense does you no good in this area of the law. For instance, in many cases where the chances at trial are not good for the client, an attorney will work out a conditional discharge or a deferred sentence. In each of these situations, the charges are eventually dismissed upon the completion of the terms of probation. Unfortunately, both these deals require that a defendant plead guilty to the charges before the plea will be accepted by the court. The plea of guilty despite the later dismissal is enough to trigger deportation for deportable offenses.

Even more surprising to many defendants, and many attorneys, is the fact that relatively trivial offenses, even petty misdemeanors can trigger deportation. This same result occurs even with residents that have been in the United States for decades, established businesses, purchased homes, raised families and had no other prior legal problems.

It is surprising to learn that a relatively minor charges can result in deportation while far more serious crimes have no immigration consequences at all. The immigration consequences depend on the classification of the crime. The classification of a crime as a crime of moral turpitude carries the most severe and seemingly unfair penalties.

Crimes of moral turpitude can have shocking immigration consequences. Instincts or general impressions of the seriousness of the crime are unreliable. A good and rather common example of a trivial crime classified as a crime of moral turpitude is petty larceny or shoplifting. Even petty shoplifting is a crime of dishonesty which carries the classification of crime of moral turpitude. This means you can be deported for conviction of a shoplifting. Not only that, you can be deported even if you are not technically convicted.

Due to the classification as a crime of moral turpitude, you may have the luxury of many possible common and otherwise favorable pleas. In many cases, a prosecutor would offer a variety of different plea options. Many of these would result in a dismissal of the charges. Unfortunately, a dismissal is not enough. Often the plea itself, in contemplation of an eventual dismissal, requires an admission of guilt to the shoplifting offense. Despite the ultimate dismissal, the admission of guilt alone creates a removable offense. This same outcome occurs in many other otherwise outstanding plea bargains.

There is a long list of crimes of moral turpitude. You must know from the outset if your crime is on that list of deportable offenses. If it is, then the entire defense strategy will change. Unfortunately, you may be forced to go to trial on a case that almost always plea if it involved a United States citizen.

To properly defend you, you must inform your attorney of your immigration status from the first moment you meet. Your citizenship may not be apparent, and the attorney may not think to ask. The defense strategy from the very beginning of your case should properly account for the immigration consequences. Failure to inform your attorney of your immigration status could seriously harm your future in the United States.

So what should you do are not a citizen of the United States and you are charged with a crime? You should inform your attorney of your immigration status the first time you speak. You should remind your attorney of your status throughout the process. Most importantly, you should insist that your attorney thoroughly consider the immigration consequences in the defense strategy and in consideration of any plea offers. If your matter is particularly confusing or complex, then you may need to enlist the services of both a criminal attorney and an immigration attorney.

Don't be in the position where you have won the battle in addressing the criminal charges, while losing the war and everything else you hold dear in this country when you are eventually deported.

Parrish Collins
Collins & Collins, P.C.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
www.collinsattorneys.com