Criminal Defense Attorney
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William Francis is a criminal defense attorney in Medford, Oregon, specializing in the representation and defense of persons accused of felonies and misdemeanors.
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Find Answers Here
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Contact a Criminal Defense Attorney Immediately
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If you have been arrested or charged with a crime you may have no idea what happens next. You may not know if (or when) you should call a lawyer.
If you have been detained, questioned, arrested, or charged with a felony or misdemeanor offense in Southern Oregon, you should reach out to a criminal defense attorney immediately. Here’s why. The police have certain legal responsibilities. For example, the police are required to read you your rights if you are questioned while in custody. They are required to stop asking questions if you invoke your right to speak to a lawyer. There are many other strict rules the police have to follow in any criminal investigation. A lawyer will know whether or not the police have followed the rules. A criminal defense attorney can look for weaknesses in the state's case and can have evidence thrown out if your rights have been violated. |
Contact an attorney before you talk to a judge.
Find the answers to your first questions.
Know your rights, your defenses, and your options.
ReviewsRead about the experiences of those who came to this office and found resolutions to their legal problems. Many wrote great reviews and posted them online. ResultsRead about the clients who fought back against their charges and prevailed -- in dismissals, reduced pleas, and acquittals. |
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Answers to Your First Questions
Everyone who is charged with a crime asks: Am I going to jail? Find answers here.
What to Do After a DUI Arrest
If you have been arrested or cited for DUI, go here to find out what to do next.
To Save Your License, Ask for a DMV Hearing
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If you were arrested or your license was suspended for a chemical test failure or refusal, you may still have time to file a request for a hearing on any proposed DMV license suspension.
To challenge a proposed suspension, you have to file a hearing request within 10 days of a DUI arrest or citation. There are no exceptions to this filing deadline. Call this office if you need help filing your hearing request. Read more. |
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Do Not Plead Guilty at Your First Court Appearance
It's normal for anyone to feel remorse, confusion, and embarrassment after being charged with a crime.
But it's a mistake to go to court and plead guilty at your first court appearance.
The criminal justice system encourages people who have no experience in the law to make mistakes. Nice people are usually at a severe disadvantage. It makes sense to talk to a criminal defense specialist with experience defending persons who have been charged with crimes.
Knowing what will happen and what your choices are could relieve a lot of stress and anxiety.
Don't rush into the courtroom in a hurry to surrender all of your legal rights. Read more
But it's a mistake to go to court and plead guilty at your first court appearance.
The criminal justice system encourages people who have no experience in the law to make mistakes. Nice people are usually at a severe disadvantage. It makes sense to talk to a criminal defense specialist with experience defending persons who have been charged with crimes.
Knowing what will happen and what your choices are could relieve a lot of stress and anxiety.
Don't rush into the courtroom in a hurry to surrender all of your legal rights. Read more
Let Your Attorney Talk to the Judge
Let your attorney represent you in court and talk to the judge on your behalf.
It's a mistake to go to your first court appearance alone. It's a mistake to think you will be given a chance to convince the judge that the prosecutor that the police are wrong.
In this situation, it's likely a judge will tell you to stop talking because you could incriminate yourself.
If you're explaining, you're losing. You first appearance is procedural in nature. This is not the time to ask for your case to be dismissed. You will not be given the opportunity to testify at your first appearance.
A judge would also tell you that a lawyer has the experience and training to advocate for you and to identify legal issues that may not be apparent to persons who are not lawyers.
Tell the judge you want to talk to a lawyer. Then stop talking.
It's a mistake to go to your first court appearance alone. It's a mistake to think you will be given a chance to convince the judge that the prosecutor that the police are wrong.
In this situation, it's likely a judge will tell you to stop talking because you could incriminate yourself.
If you're explaining, you're losing. You first appearance is procedural in nature. This is not the time to ask for your case to be dismissed. You will not be given the opportunity to testify at your first appearance.
A judge would also tell you that a lawyer has the experience and training to advocate for you and to identify legal issues that may not be apparent to persons who are not lawyers.
Tell the judge you want to talk to a lawyer. Then stop talking.
Police Stop Drivers for Technical Infractions
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Sometimes I tell a new client, “You didn't get arrested because you did something bad. This is something that happened to you.”
There's a dragnet of DUI patrols throughout Oregon. Drivers may be stopped for the most hyper-technical traffic infractions you can think of. Often, they're stopped for traffic offenses they didn't know existed. Read more. |
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One DUI Changes Everything
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The experience is humiliating, terrifying, and unforgettable.
When you were arrested or cited for DUI, you realized immediately that you could be sentenced to time in jail, ordered to pay stiff fines and surrender your driver's license. Then there was more fear and worry. You could lose your job. You could lose your right to travel. You could lose your good reputation. Don't give up. A competent DUI attorney can look at the facts of your case and see defenses where you thought there were none. Read more. |
