We're a boutique criminal defense law firm that only takes on cases we believe we can help with.
We're one of New York's oldest law firms, and have seen virtually every type of criminal defense case.
We have offices all over NYC and Long Island, and can meet you wherever is more convenient.
Virtually anyone, at any time, can be charged and accused of a crime. What happens next is more crucial than the crime you’re accused of. Without a proper defense, and the right criminal attorney representing you, you could be wrongfully convicted of a crime. Simply put, if you’re at the wrong place – at the wrong time, you could be convicted, and no one will care. That’s how the criminal justice system works. Sometimes, they’ll make you admit you did something – even if it’s not true, simply to get a conviction. Prosecutors, who need convictions to survive, will make you admit you did something even if it’s not true. They use trumped up charges in order to get you to plea guilty. We understand that, and push back aggressively in order to get you the results you need. Our main job as your NYC criminal attorney is to prevent the prosecutor from taking advantage of you, and forcing you to wrongfully admit to something you didn’t do. With over 50 years of experience, we’ve seen virtually every single take of case.
If you, or a family member, is under investigation, or has had charges filed against him/her, then you need a top NYC criminal attorney to help you, and protect you. With over 50 years of combined experience, the Spodek Law Group understands the challenges. We understand the pressure you are under – a conviction can represent a financial, reputational, and personal, disaster. When you hire the Spodek Law Group, you’re hiring a firm that has handled cases on a national scale, and has the aggressiveness to represent you – and achieve the possible legal outcome. Bottom line, you’re hiring a criminal defense law firm who knows when to fight, and how to win.
We’re one of the few NYC defense law firms to have a perfect 5 star rating with Yelp, Google Places, Avvo, FindLaw, and many other platforms.
We don’t believe financing should stop you from getting the legal help you wish. We offer flexible payment plans in order to make it easier.
The Spodek Law Group prides itself on service, and results. Regardless of how tough your case is, we promise a consistent level of service.
Very diligent, organized associates; got my case dismissed. Hard working attorneys who can put up with your anxiousness. I was accused of robbing a gemstone dealer. Definitely A law group that lays out all possible options and alternative routes. Recommended for sure.
- ROBIN, GUN CHARGES ROBIN"Todd is passionate about helping clients win. He is equally passionate about being honest, and ensuring his clients know what's going on at all times."
- Tammy Assault and Robbery
Todd Spodek is a second generation criminal defense attorney at the Spodek Law Group. Todd is the managing partner of the Spodek Law Group, and is dedicated to helping innocents accused of crimes, and their family members. As the managing partner, he takes the mission of the Spodek Law Group very seriously. He leverages the law to help clients get the legal outcome they need, and deserve. Above all, he’s committed himself to helping each and every single person possible – without worrying about money. As a result, he instituted a flexible payment plan as a way of ensuring each person can get the quality service they deserve. He’s respected by judges, fellow prosecutors, attorneys, and clients alike. Call today to speak to Todd.
Our law firm is considered one of NY’s most prestigious criminal defense law firms. We understand that every case is different, and comes with a different set of underlying circumstances. With over 50 years of combined experience, we’ve handled virtually every single type of criminal defense case. Your future is important is important, and one of the first steps you can take is hiring a criminal attorney in NYC who has experience and reputation. We understand that this is a scary time for you and your family. When hiring our criminal defense attorneys, you should expect a criminal defense lawyer who has full knowledge of the law, and experience handling a wide array of charges you’re facing. Moreover, you can expect a criminal attorney who has experience in the court where the charges are being filed, in addition to having someone who is a skilled negotiator, and litigator, on your team. Not all criminal lawyers are equal. It’s important to find a criminal attorney who has practiced, and has experience handling similar cases. At Spodek Law Group, we practice in stat and federal courts of New York, and have handled a wide array of criminal charges. We are litigators with experience, and immense negotiation skills.
In addition, you should expect an attorney who has experience planning multiple scenarios, in order to help you evaluate your options, and risks. It means having an attorney will listen to your situation, and assess the various scenarios – understand the pros and cons, and properly assess the risk involved with each legal option. You should expect an attorney who communicates openly, and who provides you with copies of all records, and filings regarding your case. Moreover, it’s important you have an attorney who returns your calls in a reasonable time frame. You can expect our attorneys to keep all communications with you confidential, and to ensure you’re comfortable at all times.
Why do I need a NYC criminal attorney
Being arrested can be a confusing and harrowing experience. If you have done nothing wrong, the entire course of events will frustrate you. It may even prompt you to become indignant and to dismiss the charges against you as mere folly. That is exactly the wrong attitude. You must take seriously the fact that you have been arrested and charged with a crime.
Your first move must be to retain the services of a NYC Criminal lawyer. Whether you have been charged with domestic violence, DWI, rape, or a white collar crime, the lawyers at the Spodek Law Group can help. No matter the jurisdiction in the city of New York, you will be able to avail yourself of the firm’s services.
All you know about the charges against you is that they are unjust. When you are cuffed, taken to jail, and charged, the person who brought accusations is not named. At that moment, all you can do is establish your legal defense. It is important to keep a cool head. Letting your emotions run riot will do nothing to help your case, and may indeed make things worse for you. The authorities may have nothing on you. But that can change if you lose control.
Indeed, it is to say nothing until your NYC Criminal lawyer arrives. Once you are taken in, the authorities may tell you that things will go a lot better for you if you cooperate. But this is just a ploy to get you to incriminate yourself. You must be strong and exercise your Fifth Amendment right until you are able to speak to legal counsel.
Depending on the nature and severity of your crime, you could spend decades in prison and be assessed thousands of dollars in fines. Even if you are given a relatively light sentence, you will have a criminal record. Such records are public. Anyone can get a hold of them. Living with a conviction, especially why you have done nothing wrong, can be maddeningly perplexing. It will certainly make life hard. You will find it difficult to find a job and a place to live. In the instances of child sexual violence and abuse, your name will go into a child sex offender registry which will follow you no matter where you go. Some states have passed laws so strict that it is impossible for convicted child sex offenders to make a living or rent or buy a home; they are not allowed to see their children or those of relatives.
Apart from the material deprivations of a conviction, there is the shame and dishonor it will forever bring on your name. If you are in a profession in which character and integrity mean everything –law and education for example—you might find it impossible to work in those fields again.
The bottom line is that an arrest can lead to conviction, which will definitely lead to the ruin of your life. You must get out in front of the situation immediately. The only way to do that is to hire a NYC Criminal lawyer.
If you are guilty of the crime you have been charged with, you will still need legal counsel. The NYC Criminal lawyers at the Spodek Law Group can act quickly. The firm has offices all over the boroughs and communities of New York City and can get to whichever lock-up you happen to be at. Your lawyer can get your through your arraignment and help you post bail. They can also negotiate with the prosecutor’s office on your behalf. This could lead to a much reduced sentence and the chance for you to begin life anew once you have been released.
Do the police need to read the Miranda warnings before they talk to you?
The police must read the Miranda warnings before they interrogate someone who is in their custody. Being in custody means that you are not free to leave. Statements that are given by someone in custody voluntarily, without an interrogation, can be used against them if thee police didn’t provide a Miranda warning. The police don’t have to use certain words when reading the warnings. They have to convey the essence of the rights.
Many people wonder if they are not under arrest if the police didn’t read your rights. You might have been under arrest, even if they didn’t read your rights. The only have to read the rights to a person who the are interrogating while in custody. They can handcuff you, and book you at the police station, without reading your rights.
In some instances, people have questions if its possible for the police to give Miranda warnings midway through an interrogation. The police can give them midway through an interrogation, but statements provided before the warning are not going to admissible against the defendant. Sometimes, defendants will confess before they get the warning, and then confess again after they get the warnings. They think that it’s pointless to recant the confession since they already gave it. But that’s not true – especially if the police benefit from the suspect’s utter confusion in order to get the second confession!
One of the most popular questions we hear about Miranda violations is whether evidence can be admitted if it was discovered due to the violations. Sometimes, a statement given by you in violation of your Miranda rights can lead law enforcement to discover evidence against the defendant. Evidence can be admitted in most situations, despite the violation of the Miranda rights. If the police go beyond violating the rules, and coerce you into make a confession – then the evidence will probably not be admitted.
New York’s criminal court is the court which deals with any and all criminal offenses, regardless of whether they are resultant from a desk appearance ticket, robbing a liquor store, or from an arrest. Criminal court only handles felony cases up to the indictment phase. After this, felony cases are tried before the New York Supreme Court. When you are charged with a felony, you will be judged by a grand jury rather than a judge. Traffic tickets and traffic violations are handled in traffic court rather than criminal court. Federal cases are handled in the federal court system. To have a federal case, you need to be charged with breaking federal law.
If you or a loved one has had a criminal charge leveled against you, then it’s important to get in contact with a New York attorney. Spodek Law Group is an experienced group of criminal attorneys who have been navigating the criminal justice system for more than forty years. They can assist in all manner of criminal charges: federal and state level charges, felonies and misdemeanors, first degree and other degrees of charges. An attorney will help you understand the charges against you, your options moving forward, and what the defense for your case is.
The criminal justice process is fairly straightforward. After you are arrested for a crime, you will be processed. This is the point at which your arresting officer will file paperwork. You’ll also have your photo and fingerprints taken. The next step in the process is your arraignment, which is your first court appearance. Arraignment is the point at which you will hear the official charge or charges that have been leveled against you. This is also the point at which the judge will determine whether you should be released on recognizance, have a bail posted, or be held without bail until your trial.
You should contact an attorney as soon as you are arrested. Exercise your right to silence. Law enforcement officials are trained to get statements from suspects before they have had adequate legal representation. The prosecution and the law enforcement officials are not your friends; they are trying to charge you as heavily and concretely as possible.
Your attorney should be present at your arraignment. If they have any contest to the charges, this is the point at which they can argue your case. If you have a felony or multiple felonies leveled against you, a grand jury will be required to indict you. This means that the prosecution must provide enough evidence to create a reasonable suspicion that you might have committed a crime. Indictment evidence is different from conviction evidence; for a conviction, the prosecutor must prove that you were the perpetrator of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
After you are charged, there will be a series of hearings and motions. You will be required to appear in court at the specified dates. This process is the time during which you will have the ability to reach a plea agreement with the prosecution. Plea agreements usually involve a negotiation and compromise between the prosecution and the defense, and result in you pleading guilty to lesser charges.
If you choose not to reach a plea agreement or cannot reach a plea agreement, the case will proceed to trial. Felony cases will be tried at the Supreme Court before a grand jury. Misdemeanors will be tried before a judge. You must appear in court for every day of the trial. If you have been charged with a drug-related offense, you might also have the option of using an alternative sentencing program called New York Drug Court.
What happens after i’m arrested, and what should I do
An arrest can be a confusing and perplexing experience. If you have done nothing wrong, being taken into custody and charged with a crime will make you feel indignant and unfairly treated. The temptation will then be to lash out at police. You may even dismiss the charges against you with scorn and contempt. This is the worst possible attitude to take. It will do you no good. Your priority after your arrest must be the establishment of your legal defense.
The NYC criminal defense attorneys at the Spodek Law Group can help you get through this difficult process. If you have done nothing wrong, they will see to it that you are exonerated and released, and they will press to have the charges against you dropped.
Your arrest may have been completely unexpected, and you may have no idea who has made accusations against you. However, you cannot make this your first concern. Ensuring that your statements and behavior do not harm your chances of being cleared of all charges must be your immediate priority.
In fact, you should say nothing until your NYC Criminal lawyer arrives. The police may say that it will help your situation if you cooperate with them. But that is not how it works. Law enforcement and prosecutors have every incentive to convict someone they think has broken the law. You must be strong and invoke your Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate yourself. Once your NYC Criminal lawyer arrives, they will ascertain the facts and circumstances of the case and speak for you.
Drug possession, sexual assault, white collar crime—these are serious crimes. If you have been charged with one of them or some other form of malfeasance, you are in serious trouble. Depending on the nature and severity of the crime, you can spend anywhere from 15 days in jail to a lifetime in prison. That is why you cannot give anything to the authorities. Even a seemingly harmless comment or statement can be used by them to secure a conviction.
The Spodek Law Group has offices throughout the city of New York. No matter the jurisdiction you’ve been arrested in, the firm can dispatch a NYC Criminal NYC Criminal lawyer to sit with you through the interrogation and arraignment, and help you post bail. You do not want to sit through a police interrogation without an attorney present. Such procedures are systematic, thorough, and unrelenting. You will be set up to fall into all kinds of legal snares and traps, which is why you must have an attorney there to point them out to you.
The authorities must prove their case against you. It is the job of your lawyer to scrutinize each piece of evidence. If what the authorities have against you is weak and circumstantial, your NYC Criminal lawyer will be able to compel them to set you free. You will then be able to clear your good name and reputation.
If you are guilty of the crime you have been charged with, you still need a lawyer. You may have made a mistake; you may have put yourself in a bad situation that led to your arrest. Your lawyer can help you get the possible outcome in the given circumstances. The attorneys of the Spodek Law Group know people in the prosecutor’s office. They can negotiate on your behalf so that the severity of the sentence you receive is significantly reduced. You might be in a position of helping the police investigate and arrest a major crime figure. If that is the case, your lawyer will be able to arrange a much lighter sentence in exchange for your cooperation.
If you’re interested in getting legal help, schedule a risk free consultation by either filling out a contact form on our website, or by calling us.
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