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5202 Madison Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana 46227

Our Office can help you understand the charges filed and get the best possible outcome, while protecting your rights under the law.

Bench Law Office handles all types of criminal offenses.  These offenses are generally classified as “misdemeanor”, which crimes usually have sentences up to one year, and “felony”, which sentences will generally go from above that one year, all the way to life in prison.

After the criminal code changed in 2015, felonies in Indiana are now listed as level 1 through level 6 felonies.  A level 6 felony is one where the minimum sentence is 6 months, and the maximum sentence 2 ½ years.  A level 5 felony carries sentences of from 1 to 6 years; a level 4 felony a sentence of 2 to 12 years; a level 3 felony sentence of 3 to 16 years; level 2 felony sentence 10 to 30 years; and level 1 felony 20 to 40 years.  Murder carries a 45 to 65 year sentence.

Once you are charged with a felony, immediate contact with an attorney is necessary.  In many situations, there may be arguments that the level charged as a felony is improper, and if negotiation is had, and plea agreement reached, often times charges can be reduced to a lower level felony.  In many situations, depending on prior criminal history, if you are charged or convicted of a level 5 or level 6 felony, your conviction may be able to be “reduced” to a misdemeanor.

Depending on your criminal history, an experienced defense attorney will be able to tell you whether a conviction may qualify you as a “habitual offender”, which can directly affect your sentence (by raising it substantially).

Whether a misdemeanor, of a felony, if you are arrested an experienced attorney should be called to consult you in regards to your case.  Any conviction will remain a part of your permanent record and such conviction can be used against you in terms of sentencing on any new cases.  The worse your records remains, the more difficult it is to obtain a low sentence.

Bench Law Office handles all felony and misdemeanor cases.  This can include drug cases; domestic violence; battery; operating under the influence (which can be charged as a felony under certain circumstances), theft, fraud, check deception and many other crimes under provisions of the Indiana Code.  Make sure you have talked to an experienced attorney, and that you receive appropriate representation in regards to any such charges.  Convictions on these cases, and the level of conviction can adversely affect your record in the future, and your ability to obtain employment in the future.