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Law Office of Gerald F. Chefalo
, Traverse City, MI (231) 929-7744
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Address 502 Railroad Ave. Traverse City, MI 49686 Hours Monday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Thursday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Business Type: Gerald Chefalo, Attorney at Law in Traverse City providing drunk driving and criminal defense, as well as divorce and bankruptcy representation in Northern Michigan.
Serving all of Northern Lower Michigan (including but not limited to): Grand Traverse County, Leelanau County, Antrim County, Charlevoix County, Emmet County, Kalkaska County, Benzie County, Manistee County, Wexford County and Missaukee County.
We Accept: Discover, Mastercard, Visa and American Express
Free Legal Advice on June 17th from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at our office. We will provide hot dogs, chips and drinks and it will be done in an open house style. Additionally, you can get your legal questions answered.
You can also check out our Seminar Series. These will be held at the Civic Center-Meeting Room A. These sessions are completely FREE and they will start at 5:30pm and run until all questions have been answered. Treats will be provided as well.
Seminar Series:
August 23 - Bankruptcy and Financial Issues
August 30 - Medical Marijuana
September 6 - Divorce, Relationships and the Law
September 13 - Super Drunk and What to Do if You are Arrested
September 20 - Small Business Issues and the Law with an emphasis on Banking Relationships
September 27 - Protecting Your Kids on the Internet
Answers to a common question about medical marijuana
Answers to a common question about drunk boating laws
Answers to a question regarding texting while driving
Answers to a common question regarding drunk driving
Attorney Gerald Chefalo will be online answering your legal questions during a LIVE CHAT. Get your questions about criminal charges answered with a click Thursday, February 17 from 5-6 PM.
Free Initial Consultation at the Law Office of Gerald F. Chefalo!
Gerald F. Chefalo, Attorney Gerry Chefalo is a true “Michgander” as he was born in Flint, and raised in Merrill and Saginaw, Michigan. Gerry received his undergrad degree from Michigan State University and was admitted into practice in 1998 after graduating from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He owns and runs a very successful boutique practice that focuses primarily in the areas of Family Law, Bankruptcy, Business Law, Divorce, Estate Planning and Criminal Law. In April of 2002, Attorney Chefalo completed his first open murder trial in Antrim County. He has defended numerous life offense cases in Antrim, Leelanau, Grand Traverse as well as most other Northern Michigan Counties. Gerry has also been successful in having several life offense , as well as other lower severity cases, dismissed prior to trial. Gerald F. Chefalo founded the office on the premises of offering a wide variety of legal services to a diverse population. The cornerstone of the Firm is to provide quality legal solutions at an affordable price. This goal is accomplished by maintaining superior relationships with clients and the community. Gerry enjoys living in Northern Michigan, especially during the summer months, where he spends a majority of his free time wakeboarding on Long Lake. If you are not friends with him on Facebook you should because you will get to view some awesome action shots of Gerry as well as receive valuable legal updates. Recent Affiliations and Awards: • 2010 Traverse City Business News, 40 under 40 • 2009 Grand Travers Insider, People’s Choice Award for best law firm
Question What is the difference between a civil infraction, a misdemeanor and a felony?
Answer A civil infraction is not a criminal charge. It is instead a violation of law in which you can either plead “responsible” or “not responsible”. If you plead not responsible you are entitled to a hearing. It is your choice as to whether you want a formal hearing or an informal hearing. A misdemeanor is a criminal charge that carries a penalty of normally one year or less in the county jail. The penalty for a misdemeanor can be as little as no jail and as much as a year in jail, depending on the crime.
A misdemeanor conviction is a criminal conviction and will almost always result in a criminal record. With a misdemeanor, you are entitled to have an attorney represent you in court. The court must, in most cases, appoint an attorney if you are unable to pay for one. The stages of a misdemeanor are: 1) arrest or appearance ticket; 2) arraignment; 3) pretrial; 4) trial or plea; 5) sentencing or dismissal. A felony is the most serious criminal charge you can face.
A felony conviction can have the most long lasting effects on your life. There is the possibility of prison with a felony conviction. You can lost certain citizenship rights if you are convicted of a felony. The stages of a felony conviction are: 1) arrest or warrant and arrest; 2) bond hearing or arraignment of the charge in district court; 3) preliminary examination and bind over; 4) arraignment on the charges in circuit court; 5) pretrial in circuit court; 6) plea or trial; 7) sentencing or dismissal. Often times there are also “Final Pre-Trial Conferences” as well.
Question What should I do if I need help now?
Answer
If you have been accused of a felony or misdemeanor, here is what you need to know to protect your rights and safeguard your future. HIRE AN ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY BEFORE TALKING TO THE POLICE. Felonies are serious crimes and can result in over a year of prison time, while misdemeanors are “lesser” crimes with sentences ranging from 90 days or up to one year in jail. Both can have lasting impact on your freedom, reputation and employment opportunities.
Do not hesitate to call us at (231) 929-7744. This phone number is answered 24/7 by an actual person! We can assist you any day or time necessary. Our attorneys are professional and experienced throughout Northern Michigan. We defend ALL felony and misdemeanor crimes ranging from drunk driving to probation violation to murder and everything in between.
We cannot stress this enough. PLEASE CALL AN ATTORNEY BEFORE TALKING TO THE POLICE. If you have not yet been charged with a crime and the police want to talk to you, call us first. NEVER consent to an interview without an attorney present. Statements that you may view as innocent can often be used against you later. ALWAYS call us first. If you have been charged already, please DO NOT speak with the police, call and speak with our office first, we answer our telephones 24/7 just for this reason.
If you hire us immediately, there are some things we can do for you: Obtain a low or personal recognizance bond, review the case immediately for defects, mover to suppress evidence, obtain vital information from the prosecution that may be used against you, prevent important evidence such as 911 tapes, police dispatch tapes, vehicle information, video tapes, etc., from being lost or destroyed.
Lastly, arm yourself with the best defense possible. You need an attorney who will develop a clear strategy for your specific case and will not push you to make hasty decisions. It is our job to advise you, counsel you and help you make the best legal decisions you can. Only the judge has the ability to determine your sentence, if you are ultimately convicted, you need an attorney who will present your unique situation to obtain the most lenient sentence possible for you. Our experienced attorneys can use some of the following tactics to help you: Review and examine the police procedures to determine if your constitutional rights were violated, interview witnesses, make sure the prosecutor follows proper procedures, negotiate plea bargains on your behalf, negotiate sentencing deals eliminating the threat of jail, take every opportunity to obtain a dismissal before trial, work as co-counsel with other lawyers in those unique case where additional resources are needed, file motions, argue and most importantly keep you informed!
If you have been charged with a felony or misdemeanor, you deserve a legal team committed to protecting your rights.
Click here to view the Initial Client Interview Questionnaire.
Question Successful results in cases involving:
• DUI, DWI, OWI
• Traffic Offenses
• NSF/Bad Checks
• Domestic Violence
• Open Murder
• Sex Crimes (all degrees)
• Drug Charges
• Embezzlement/Fraud
• Armed Robbery
• Home Invasion/Property Crimes
• Assault and Battery
• White Collar Crimes
• Child Abuse
• Animal Abuse
• Firearm Charges
• License Restoration
• All Felonies
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