Legal Question in Criminal Law in New York

Hello, I was charged with two counts of criminal mischief in the 4th degree. I carelessly caused a dent to a parked car. I had no intention of causing harm, it was an accidentl

I was wondering what are my chances of getting an ACD because I was never arrested before and i am currently a graduate student in the city.

Also, is the lawyer appointed to me by the court for the arraignment going to see the case to the end, or do i need to hire a lawyer, if so. given the facts of this case, how much would it cost to retain a lawyer so that i could get this settled before the actual court date


Asked on 3/12/10, 7:30 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys

Robert Evans Robert S. Evans esq.

More info is needed to answer your questions. Please contact my office @7188340087 for a consultation.

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Answered on 3/17/10, 10:34 pm
Matthew Schwartz Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC

You may be able to get an ACD but maybe you should try to get a full dismissal. If this was truly an accident, there may have been no crime at all. Criminal Mischief 4th Degree requires either that you intentionally or recklessly damage someone else's property.

The Penal Law denies recklessly as follows:

"A person acts recklessly with respect to a result or to a circumstance described by a statute defining an offense when he is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such result will occur or that such circumstance exists. The risk must be of such nature and degree that disregard thereof constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation. A person who creates such a risk but is unaware thereof solely by reason of voluntary intoxication also acts recklessly with respect thereto."

I would need more information to give you more of an answer. Please feel free to give me a call at 212-714-1200.

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Answered on 3/18/10, 7:17 am
Steven Czik CZIK LAW PLLC

You should not expect jail time, but it would be highly recommended to have an experienced lawyer with you defending you and preserving your rights in court. It would also greatly increase the chance of lowering the charges or possible dismissal. We have substantial experience handling these types of cases and reasonable fees, however, we would need some more information before making a complete and proper determination. You are welcome to contact us for a free consultation.

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STEVEN J. CZIK, P.C.

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New York, New York 10013

212.413.4462

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The information provided by The Law Offices of Steven J. Czik, P.C. (LOSJC) is for general educational purposes only. There is no attorney-client relationship established by this communication and no privilege attaches to such communication. LOSJC is not taking and will not take any action on your behalf and will not be considered your attorney until both you and LOSJC have signed a written retainer agreement. There are strict deadlines, called statutes of limitation, within which claims or lawsuits must be filed. Therefore, if you desire the services of an attorney and decide not to retain LOSJC on terms acceptable to LOSJC, you are advised to immediately seek the services of another attorney.

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Answered on 3/25/10, 11:48 am


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