Criminal convictions come with collateral consequences

On Behalf of Kirsch Daskas Law Group | Apr 21, 2020 | Criminal Defense |

People have likely heard the saying that you’re innocent until you’re proven guilty, but it seems as though this only applies within the criminal justice system. Many people who are facing criminal charges find that the impacts of the situation begin before they are convicted. The negative impacts of a criminal matter that a person faces that aren’t imposed by the court are known as collateral consequences.

There are many collateral consequences that can impact a person. These include things like their criminal record making them unable to find a job because of the arrest on their criminal record. Employers who do a background check might opt to not hire a person because of what they see. This is especially true for people who have violent marks, such as assault or domestic violence, on their record.

Domestic violence charges can have an impact on child custody cases because the court might be reluctant to allow the children to remain with a person who has been accused of this unless they are supervised.

Once a person is convicted of a violent offense, even if it is a misdemeanor, they can lose the ability to own firearms. In some cases, the person might not be able to receive public assistance if they are on probation or parole. Felony charges can impact the ability of a person to vote if they are convicted and serving time in prison or on parole or probation.

The collateral consequences are something to think about when you’re developing a defense strategy. The method that you use to resolve your case might be aimed at reducing the penalties you face because of the matter.