Were You Arrested on Halloween? Call Us Today to Speak to a St. Paul Criminal Defense Lawyer

 Halloween brings out many scary things, but possibly none as scary as being arrested and going to jail. Like any holiday, arrests increase during Halloween festivities. You can bet that police officers are out and about in St. Paul, ready to place anyone suspected of a crime in handcuffs.

While Halloween is most commonly associated with costumes and candy, there are numerous crimes that are common on this holiday, ranging from relatively minor to severe. No matter what criminal charge you may face in the early days of November, you should never wait to call the St. Paul criminal defense lawyers at Capitol City Law Group, LLC for assistance. We help with a wide range of crimes stemming from Halloween, including:

Driving While Impaired (DWI)

Halloween is a great time for parties – specifically, costume parties. Many adults dress up, gather with friends, and have some drinks to celebrate. It is inevitable that some of these revelers will decide to drive home even if they had too much to drink. Police will be patrolling the streets for signs of drunk drivers and will not hesitate to pull them over.

If an officer pulled you over, they may have requested you to give a breath sample or undergo field sobriety testing. If the officer believed they had probable cause that you were driving while impaired, they likely placed you under arrest and the prosecutor issued charges for DWI. While many people think DWI is not a serious crime, a conviction can have lasting consequences and your need the help of a DWI defense lawyer right away.

Trespassing and Vandalism

Many kids head out on Halloween to TP or throw eggs at houses. While this may seem like a harmless prank that has been going on for decades, such acts can result in trespassing and sometimes, vandalism charges if police catch you. You can face trespassing charges for going onto someone else’s property without permission, and if an egg or another object damages a home or vehicle, you can be charged with vandalism. While these are misdemeanor offenses in Minnesota, you should have a skilled attorney to help you avoid any jail time.

Assault

When a day commonly involves costumes, pranks, and alcohol, you can expect that a fair amount of arguments may occur. In some situations, arguments can escalate to fights at parties or bars. Even though it may seem like a harmless bar fight, you can face serious assault charges, especially if you caused injuries to another person. You may think you can simply claim self-defense and walk away from an assault charge. However, even if you were actually defending yourself, this is a complex defense and you need an attorney who knows how to effectively present it in criminal court.

Sexual Assault

Again, Halloween parties and alcohol often take a dark turn and a person may commit a sexual assault. Whether someone misjudges a reaction or gets invovled with another person who is too intoxicated, serious charges can follow if you are accused of engaging in sexual conduct without the other person’s consent. These cases can be complicated, especially if they involve two acquaintences or people who are dating. They often come down to he said-she said testimony, and you want a defense firm on your side that regularly takes on this type of tough case.

Kidnapping

Halloween can take a frightening turn when a child goes missing. When children are out trick or treating or attending parties in costume, it can be all too easy for someone to kidnap a child. When police start searching for a missing child and the perpetrator, they often want to give families and the community any possible answers as quickly as they can. This can often result in wrongful arrests and charges against innocent people who had nothing to do with the kidnapping. A conviction for kidnapping in Minnesota can mean many, many years in state prison, so you need the highest quality of defense representation as soon as possible.

No matter why you or a family member was arrested on Halloween, there is a long road ahead through the criminal justice process. It is important to have an experienced St. Paul criminal defense lawyer guiding you every step of the way to ensure you receive the best possible outcome.

Consult with an Experienced St. Paul Criminal Defense Lawyer Regarding Your Situation

At Capitol City Law Group, LLC in St. Paul, our criminal defense lawyers represent clients facing a wide range of criminal charges, from traffic violations to homicide. We seek to get charges dismissed or reduced and to help our clients avoid jail time and other serious penalties whenever possible. If you face any type of criminal charges, please call 651-376-3744 or contact us online today to learn how we can help you.