Criminal Defense Lawyer in New York City — What We Do

A good criminal defense lawyer in New York City will advocate to dismiss the charge, plea-bargain to a lower charge, find alternatives to imprisonment, uncover evidence supporting your defense, and help seal your criminal record. If you are looking for a criminal defense lawyer in New York, call us at 212-233-1233 or email [email protected].

Allegations We Handle

A criminal defense lawyer handles a range of cases — violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. These include traffic violations, white-collar crimes, DWI, stalking, harassment, larceny, assault, drug possession and sale, domestic violence, homicide, arson, gun possession, bribery, Medicaid fraud, insurance fraud, and burglary. Criminal charges vary in fact and law, but the methodology of building a defense usually returns to the same principle: was the arrest, search, or stop lawful under the Fourth Amendment?

The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, and many prosecutions fail when the police cut corners. If the arrest was unlawful, evidence flowing from the arrest is inadmissible. If the search was unlawful, the same is true. Your lawyer's first job is to find the constitutional defect.

Finding the Right Lawyer

When you are accused of a state or federal crime, the first step is to find competent counsel. You cannot navigate the criminal process alone — even lawyers who get arrested hire other lawyers. Find someone with experience, who is aggressive, accessible, and who you trust. A big-name firm is not a guarantee of dismissal — you might pay top dollar and end up with the D team. Hire the lawyer, not the letterhead.

Developing a Legal Strategy

Your criminal defense lawyer will give you an honest evaluation: the law that was allegedly violated, the elements the prosecutor must prove, the evidence supporting the allegations, the weaknesses in the prosecutor's case, and the strength of your defenses. We then investigate independently — interviewing witnesses, pulling video, requesting CPL 245 discovery, and preserving exculpatory evidence before it disappears.

If the stop, the arrest, or the search was illegal, we move to suppress under Mapp, Wade, Huntley, or Dunaway. Suppression frequently collapses the prosecution's case. Once weaknesses are identified, we negotiate plea agreements from a position of strength. If the case goes to trial, we protect your interests aggressively in court — objecting, cross-examining, and presenting the defense. If you are convicted, we file appeals and, where eligible, petitions to seal your record under CPL 160.59.

Remember the Presumption

You are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The burden is on the prosecutor to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt — not on you to prove innocence.

If you are looking for a criminal defense lawyer, we at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin are here for you. We represent clients in New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. Call us at 212-233-1233 or email [email protected].