Salt Lake City Criminal Defense Attorney

Law Office of Paul R. Christensen

2150 South 1300 East Suite 500 Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 USA

 (801) 326-1922

www.pclawllc.com
 Contact the Firm

Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

The Law Office of Paul R. Christensen is a criminal defense law firm serving Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front. We provide criminal defense representation in Salt Lake City and in state and federal courts throughout Utah, helping juveniles and adults charged with the full range of felonies and misdemeanors to stay out of jail, keep their driver's license, and keep their records clean. Our primary areas of practice include the following: DUI; Drug Crimes; Domestic Violence; Assault & Violent Crimes; White Collar Crimes; Juvenile Delinquency; Expungement/Record Clearing.

While the state does have mandatory minimum sentences for murder and some sex offenses, Utah for the most part uses an indeterminate sentencing system. This system gives judges wide discretion on what sentences to impose, which exposes nearly every defendant to the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. The judge also has the power to sentence you to a period of probation rather than jail. As a former city and county prosecuting attorney, Paul Christensen knows when probation or prison is more likely, which cases are more likely to be vigorously pursued by the prosecution, and when it is more favorable to enter into plea bargaining or prepare and present a strong defense at trial.

If you have been arrested, you face serious long-term consequences if convicted, including fines, jail, and damage to your reputation in the community, at home and at work. You may feel frightened or confused, not knowing what to do or who to trust. When you hire Paul Christensen to represent you, you get an experienced criminal law attorney who is experienced in nearly every type of criminal matter and has tried hundreds of cases to juries in district in the state. Don't go through this alone, and don't leave your fate up to the judge and prosecutor.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Misdemeanors; Violent Crimes; Automobile Homicide; Sexual Assault; Human Trafficking; Business Fraud; Tax Evasion/Tax Fraud; Computer Fraud; Forgery; Federal Securities Laws; Securities Fraud; Insider Trading; Late-day Trading; Pyramid Schemes; Ponzi Schemes; Vandalism/Malicious Mischief; Possession of Alcohol.

Practice Areas Description

Our primary areas of practice include the following:

- DUI

You can fight a DUI at both the administrative and criminal levels. You can request an administrative hearing, but you must act within ten days of your arrest. In criminal court, you may have many defenses available to you, such as challenging the accuracy of the breathalyzer or other equipment used to measure your BAC, challenging the competence of the arresting officer to observe signs of impairment or administer tests, or challenge the right of the police to stop you in the first place. There are many other defenses as well. Speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney who has successfully handled DUI cases to find out how best to proceed in your case.

- Drug Crimes

The criminal defense practice at the Salt Lake City Law Office of Paul R. Christensen includes aggressive defense of drug charges in Utah state and federal courts. Drug offenses are vigorously investigated and enforced at both the state and federal levels, and these overzealous drug arrests are often full of constitutional issues which can be challenged in court. Our office handles all types of drug cases, from misdemeanor possession to the most serious felonies, and we invoke all available defenses and strategies to provide you with the best defense in your situation.

- Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is broadly defined in Utah and can include physically harming or threatening harm, or placing a person in fear of violence. Utah's main domestic violence law, the Cohabitant Abuse Procedures Act, includes such actions, as well as stalking, taken against a relative, someone who lives in the same residence, or someone who has a child in common with the accused. The law allows the alleged victim to obtain a protective order, which could be used to force the accused out of the home and have no contact with the alleged victim, children or others who live at the home, and much more. A domestic violence charge can be used to keep you from your children or to gain an advantage in a divorce or child custody battle.

- Assault & Violent Crimes

Criminal defense attorney Paul Christensen of the Law Office of Paul R. Christensen in Salt Lake City represents people throughout Utah who are charged with assault or other violent crimes, including violent sex offenses and homicide. Violent offenses and sex offenses are dealt with harshly in the criminal justice system, and a conviction can have serious long-term consequences beyond a lengthy period of incarceration. Our practice includes defense of all types of criminal homicide, including murder, aggravated murder, manslaughter, and automobile homicide, including a death caused while driving under the influence (DUI). We also handle all types of sex offenses, including charges of aggravated sexual assault, rape, human trafficking, and sexual abuse of a minor.

- White Collar Crimes

White collar crimes are basically criminal offenses where the criminal act is achieved through means of deception or fraud, rather than violence or the threat of force. Because of this difference, white collar crimes are often harder to prove yet also harder to defend, since the evidence is normally less straightforward and harder to understand. A few of the major areas of white collar crime prosecuted most often include: Fraud - insurance fraud, business fraud, tax evasion/tax fraud, computer fraud; Theft - embezzlement, forgery, taking money by false pretenses; Federal securities laws - securities fraud, insider trading, late-day trading, giving tips, acting on tips, pyramid schemes, Ponzi schemes.

- Juvenile Delinquency

Minors who are accused of a crime have special considerations compared to adults, and criminal defense attorney Paul Christensen of the Law Office of Paul R. Christensen in Salt Lake City is knowledgeable of and sensitive to juvenile delinquency issues in Utah. Children have their whole life ahead of them, and a criminal record as a juvenile can put a serious blot on that future, damaging their chances for military service or their best opportunities for higher education or career employment. If your child has been arrested, Paul Christensen can help. Attorney Paul Christensen has experience in all phases of criminal and juvenile proceedings, including expungements and records clearances.

- Expungement/Record Clearing

A criminal conviction, even for a minor misdemeanor, can haunt you for years, impacting your ability to get certain jobs or acquire credit, or damaging your reputation in the community. Even if charges are dropped or never filed, the fact of an arrest will stick around for years, open to public inspection… unless you do something about it. Only certain convictions are eligible to be expunged. For the most part, certain felonies, automobile homicide, felony driving under the influence (felony DUI), and registerable sex offenses are not expungeable, unless you have also been pardoned. Other factors determining whether a record may be expunged include the length of time since the conviction, the classification of the offense, and the presence of other convictions on your record.

Attorneys

Mr. Paul R. Christensen Attorney Criminal Defense, Drug Crime, DUI, Juvenile Crime

More Information on Law Office of Paul R. Christensen

Salt Lake City, UT Criminal Defense Law Firm
DUI Defense Attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, UT Domestic Violence Attorney
Drug Crime Attorneys in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah White Collar Crime Lawyer
Violent Crime Law Firm in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, UT Juvenile Delinquency Lawyer
Expungement Law Firm in Salt Lake City, Utah
Contact Law Office of Paul R. Christensen