The MacDonald Law Office will be DISCOUNTING OUR RATES IN CRIMINAL CASES by 33% until May 17, 2020, and offering payment plans for the first time due to the financial strain the Coronavirus pandemic will place on everyone. Call now to lock in this unprecedented discount while it lasts.
The MacDonald Law Office is still in operation servicing existing clients and accepting new clients during the Coronavirus pandemic even though the Maryland Courts are closed for most (but not all) proceedings. It is important that criminal defendants hire a defense attorney NOW, even if the courts are closed, to take full advantage of the incredible burden the pandemic will place on the criminal justice system. The courts will open again before too long and when they do there will be chaos and confusion caused by the backlog of cases. While the courts and the prosecutor’s offices are closed we will still be working hard either from the office or from home, if necessary, so that we will be ready to go into action quickly to take advantage for our clients. Chaos, confusion, and a strained court system means there will be opportunities for criminal clients that don’t usually exist. The courts will be backlogged with cases and court dockets will be very full. When pressure is applied by a prepared defense attorney ready to go to trial, overwhelmed prosecutors and courts will have to set priorities like never before. This means minor cases will get dropped and even serious charges may be pled down to lesser offenses with better sentences. Prosecutors and labs will make mistakes in preparation. Government resources will be diverted to more pressing matters. Police officers will be preoccupied with pandemic related responsibilities and miss court. Witnesses burdened by lost jobs, family responsibilities, health concerns and financial woes won’t appear for court. Criminal clients have a constitutional right to a speedy trial but that right needs to be asserted early by the Defendant. We will be poised to use the opportunities created by this unfortunate pandemic for the benefit of our criminal clients. If we are all going to suffer anyway, why not try to turn a negative into a positive where possible. The Coronavirus pandemic is going to be hardship for everyone, including us, and we are as anxious about the situation as most. But life will go on if God permits, and our job is to aggressively defend our criminal clients using any ethical tool. That is what you can continue to expect from the MacDonald Law Office in the coming difficult months.
We encourage current clients and potential clients to call us first before attempting to visit our office. We will be handling as much business as possible over the phone and by email during the pandemic for the safety of clients, ourselves and the general public. We are committed to doing our part to reduce the spread of this terrible disease. We are already completely set up to run our business from home if there is a lockdown or quarantine. The only aspect of our operation that may be different is our availability for in person meetings. These will be limited as much as possible. If the physical office is closed our calls will be forwarded to a cell phone and responded to promptly.