Law Practices

Criminal Appeals

Being found guilty of a crime can cause you to believe that all hope is lost, your record is permanently stained, and that you are in fact a criminal. In Alaska, most people found guilty of a crime have the ability to appeal the verdict.

Drug and Alcohol Crimes

The relationship between drugs, alcohol, and crime is complex. Most directly, it is a crime to buy, use, possess, manufacture, or distribute illegal drugs. Drugs and alcohol also impact crime indirectly via the effects they have on users’ behavior and by their association with violence and other illegal activity.

Drunk Driving (DUI)

A Driving Under the Influence, or Operating Under the Influence, charge (“DUI”) is serious business that can change your life. Police, prosecutors, and the courts treat DUI charges very seriously. A DUI charge can easily turn into a conviction without proper legal representation.

Post-Conviction Relief (PCR)

Once your appellate rights are exhausted, there is yet another way to challenge your conviction. The next step is post-conviction relief or PCR where you may raise new claims that were not available to you on direct appeal. Requiring experience on both sides — as both prosecutor and criminal defense attorney in Alaska.

Probation

Probation gives you freedom to live your life outside of jail. You can, however, be forced to serve the original sentence if you violate the conditions of your probation. You need an experienced team on your side to assist you at your probation violation hearing.

Property Crimes

Some of the “minor” property crimes may not carry severe penalties in court but have lasting effects on your record. Not many employers would be interested in hiring individuals with any type of property offense on their record. These cases must be defended aggressively as possible, and our team is here to help.

Sex Crime

Being charged with a sex crime is terrifying. The confusion, anxiety, and social stigma can be a difficult burden to carry alone. What started as a nice evening and ended in what you thought was consensual sex, could turn into a lengthy jail sentence and lifelong sex offender registration. Our team is here to help.

Weapons Offenses

In Alaska, weapons charges include unlawful possession, unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon, unlawful discharge of a firearm, illegal sale or trafficking, or misconduct involving weapons. Alaska punishes these offenses harshly, which can damage your reputation and negatively affect your Constitutional rights.

Child Custody

Fighting with your former spouse over child custody is emotionally draining. Visitation, changes in visitation, moving, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse often accompany child custody disagreements. The laws surrounding child custody are complicated, and our team is ready to provide you with solutions.

Child Support

In some cases, an ex-spouse will attempt to use child support as a means to continue to control the family. In Alaska, both parents, even if they do not have custody of their children, have a duty to support their children.

Divorce or Dissolution

Alaska has two proceedings for ending a marriage: divorce and dissolution. The divorce procedure is for cases in which the parties cannot agree on all issues. A dissolution proceeding requires that both parties agree on all issues in the termination of marriage.

Military Divorce

The most common problems involve the splitting of a service member’s military pension and associated benefits, real and personal property division, and child custody planning. The unique challenges require an experienced team with a strong understanding of the state and federal laws that govern military divorce.

Paternity

Establishing paternity is critical for many reasons. First, the father may agree to support the child only to change his mind. Some benefits are available to the child only if paternity has been established. Establishing paternity can make a significant difference in a child’s health, financial outlook, and identity.

Spousal Support

Spousal Support is a monthly payment of money made from one spouse to the other. The court may order spousal support to be paid before the divorce is final, after the divorce, or both. In most cases, the court orders spousal support for a specific purpose and a limited amount of time.