Many people assume you only need a defense lawyer if you intentionally commit a major crime. The reality, however, is much more complicated. As criminal defense attorneys at Canyon State Law, we frequently see good people forced to defend themselves in front of a judge over highly misunderstood charges, or because they ignored a seemingly minor infraction until it grew into a massive legal nightmare.
Today, we want to explore some of the craziest, most misunderstood ways people get arrested, and explain exactly why ignoring a small legal problem is the worst mistake you can make.
The “I Didn’t Know That Was a Crime” Charges
There are quite a few obscure and confusing charges out there that can suddenly put you into a position where you have to defend yourself in court. Here are three of the most misunderstood charges we see:
Dog at Large
Imagine you are walking your dog, they don’t have a leash on, and they manage to get away from you. To most, this is just a stressful moment for a pet parent, but in the eyes of the law, you can actually receive a full criminal complaint for this. People get incredibly upset and confused when a simple accident with their family pet turns into a criminal record.
Disorderly Conduct
You might assume that what you do on your own property is your own business. But you can yell at your neighbor across the fence, and if they report it, you can actually be charged with disorderly conduct.
Accidental Shoplifting
Perhaps the wildest example of a misunderstood charge we have encountered involved a shoplifting complaint at a WinCo grocery store. A woman was shopping when her husband began having a low blood sugar diabetic issue. In a panic, she took a single piece of candy out of the bins for him to try. Despite the medical emergency, she was slapped with a shoplifting charge over a piece of candy. It is truly a crazy situation when trying to protect a loved one’s health lands you in front of a judge.
The Snowball Effect: When Minor Issues Become Huge Problems
These unexpected charges are stressful enough, but the situation becomes far worse when people try to ignore them. Pretty much any little criminal mistake you make will snowball into something much bigger if you do not take care of it.
Let’s look at a criminal speeding ticket as a prime example. In the grand scheme of the legal world, a criminal speeding ticket isn’t viewed as a super serious offense. Because of this, many people make the mistake of brushing it off or forgetting about it.
But if you don’t take care of that ticket, a judge will eventually issue a warrant for your arrest.
From there, you can catch another violation because you have essentially been arrested on that warrant. Suddenly, you have all sorts of different legal issues and problems, all based on something that was actually fairly small to begin with.
The lesson here is simple: if you have any criminal legal issue, it will become bigger and bigger and bigger if you don’t take care of it immediately.
You Still Have Options
Finding yourself in legal trouble is terrifying, especially when you feel like you just made a simple mistake. A lot of the people that come into our office are looking for a “redemption arc”. They want to put in the work to show the state, their community, their family, and themselves that this was an isolated incident that will never happen again.
If you made a mistake, are fearful, and you don’t know what to do next, do not wait for the problem to snowball. An accident can change everything, but you still have options.
We are here to walk you through every step of the process and make sure you come out stronger and better than ever on the other side. We will guide you and help you through every step of the process to get back on your feet. Contact Canyon State Law, your legal companion.