Criminal Defense Attorneys with Experience Defending Conspiracy Charges

Michigan’s Premier Conspiracy Defense Attorneys, Providing Expert, Aggressive Defense to Conspiracy Cases. When the opposition gets aggressive, we do not back down. We are not afraid to win.

Few criminal defense lawyers have a track record of success defending conspiracy charges.

It takes a savvy and experienced criminal defense attorney to understand conspiracy law and to show a conspiracy did not exist in a given case. Conspiracies are commonly charged when two or more defendants are charged with the same offense and often are charged as a “conspiracy” merely to enable the prosecutor to raise the stakes and increase the odds of a plea bargain or enhanced sentence. The prosecutor gets a plea of guilty as charged to the principal offense and agrees to dismiss the conspiracy charge instead of being in the position of deciding whether to plead down a single charge to resolve the case. This is patently unfair, and the conspiracy defense attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. spot this ploy a mile away. We attack the validity of a conspiracy charge head-on to show the conspiracy charge has no foundation, hopefully obtaining a charge’s dismissal. Then we attack the main charge and will do whatever it takes to defend our clients and protect their rights!

What is the definition of Conspiracy?

A conspiracy is where two or more people plan and agree to commit an illegal act or plan and agree to act illegally. Conspiracy is the agreement, not the doing. As long as the agreement is made, the crime is complete. Michigan does not require anything more to be done. The agreement plus the plan itself is the crime.

What does “commit a legal act in an illegal manner” mean?

An example of committing a legal act in an illegal manner would be if two or more people, such as a husband and wife, go to a car dealership and plan to obtain a new car. As usual, they go through all the dealership’s legal processes, sign all the paperwork, submit everything they must according to all the rules of buying a car, and everything is fine and legal. Then, they pay for the vehicle with counterfeit money. It is legal to buy a car. It is not legal to pay for it with counterfeit money. Conspiracy charges are prevalent in white-collar crimes, drug offenses, gang-related charges, healthcare fraud, and more. Not every defense lawyer is qualified to provide the strongest possible defense to conspiracy charges. The conspiracy defense attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have an unparalleled track record of success in achieving extraordinary results.

What are the penalties for Conspiracy?

The penalties for Conspiracy are stiff. One reason the law is so harsh with conspiracy convictions can be summed up in two words: peer pressure. The law assumes that if two or more people agree to commit a crime, it is more likely the offense will be committed. None of the conspiracy members will want to look weak or like a coward in front of the others by backing out. If an individual intends to commit a crime and no one else knows, they can change their mind without worrying about what anyone else thinks, and it is easy to back out of the plan.

An important thing to remember about conspiracy cases is that if a person is convicted of an offense and is also convicted of conspiring to commit it, they may be sentenced consecutively, meaning the conspiracy sentence begins after the main sentence on the main charge is served. In most criminal cases, where several offenses arising out of a single transaction lead to convictions, the penalties are served concurrently, meaning at the same time. The conspiracy defense attorney’s job is to seek a dismissal of all charges when possible. If charges cannot be dismissed, the conspiracy defense attorney must persuade the judge to focus at the sentencing hearing on rehabilitation instead of punishment.

Specifically, the penalties for Conspiracy are as follows:

• If the crime planned carries a penalty of 1 year in jail or more, the penalty is the same as the crime they planned to commit, plus a possible $10,000.00 fine. For example, if two or more people conspire to steal a car, a 5-year felony, the conspiracy to commit this crime also carries a 5-year penalty. And again, the sentences are consecutive.

• If the crime planned carries a penalty of less than one year, the penalty is one year in jail and a $1,000.00 fine.

• Conspiracy to commit a legal act in an illegal manner carries a 5-year prison sentence and a $10,000.00 fine.

It would be best to have a smart, savvy, fearless, highly experienced criminal defense attorney at the earliest stage of a case.

If you face a conspiracy charge, there is hope for you. However, having the best possible conspiracy defense attorney with you from the start is critically important. The expert and astute criminal defense attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. know that the government’s typical ploy in conspiracy cases is to try to get one of the alleged conspirators to “flip” on the others. You need an attorney who is acutely aware of this government strategy and who can decide if it is appropriate to coordinate a defensive strategy among the co-defendants to head off and prevent this maneuver. In other cases, a great defense attorney can discredit a cooperating co-defendant so that their testimony loses credibility.

LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. is a Top Conspiracy Defense Law Firm

The dedicated, experienced, and zealous conspiracy defense attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have successfully represented thousands of clients on felony and misdemeanor charges, including many conspiracy charges, in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Washtenaw, and Livingston Counties and throughout Michigan in state and federal courts. We have a well-earned reputation for providing the highest quality defense and aggressive representation, while showing empathy and care for each client.

Call us today at (248) 263-6800 for a free consultation or complete an online Request for Assistance Form. We will contact you promptly and find a way to help you.

We will find a way to help you.
We Are Not Afraid to Win!