MARK J. ANDERSEN
ATTORNEY AT LAW
What can I do for you?
Chances are if you are looking at this page you, or someone you know, has just had their first contact with the criminal justice system. Whether you were taken into custody, or issued a summons to appear, you are now entering a strange world of the unknown. Are you forever to be branded a criminal? Will you lose your job? Will you go to jail or worse yet prison? As a criminal defense attorney, I am constantly in contact with courts, prosecutors, police and other defense attorneys. No, I can’t wave a magic wand and change history. If my client did the act, and the police and prosecutors play by the rules the client will most likely be found guilty if the matter goes to trial. Outright dismissals by the prosecutor are the exception to the rule and found most often on prime time television shows, not in a real courthouse. My role is to independently investigate the charges, protect my client's constitutional rights and ensure that the government plays by the rules. If we choose to go to trial, the state must prove every element of their case beyond a reasonable doubt. My job is not to help them accomplish this but to exploit ALL weaknesses in their case and to present our defenses persuasively.
What about plea bargains? Will you get a better offer from the prosecutor if you have an attorney than if you don’t? Again, the answer is probably not. So why get an attorney? Because an experienced criminal defense attorney is able to look at the facts and make a determination whether a crime has been committed, whether the defendant has been appropriately charged, whether the police played by the rules, whether there are factors that mitigate the alleged offense, and whether there is an affirmative defense to be argued. The defense attorney can negotiate these issues with the prosecutor and point out these various factors. While the initial offer may be the same with or without counsel, an un-represented individual has no idea if a plea offer is reasonable and whether there is room for negotiation.
As an attorney and former prosecutor familiar with the prosecutor's policies and standards, I can be invaluable to ensuring that you are protected. A defendant without counsel doesn’t know when to push back, or even whether they have been charged with the right crime. By hiring me, you get the peace of mind that you received the best possible result from your case..
What about plea bargains? Will you get a better offer from the prosecutor if you have an attorney than if you don’t? Again, the answer is probably not. So why get an attorney? Because an experienced criminal defense attorney is able to look at the facts and make a determination whether a crime has been committed, whether the defendant has been appropriately charged, whether the police played by the rules, whether there are factors that mitigate the alleged offense, and whether there is an affirmative defense to be argued. The defense attorney can negotiate these issues with the prosecutor and point out these various factors. While the initial offer may be the same with or without counsel, an un-represented individual has no idea if a plea offer is reasonable and whether there is room for negotiation.
As an attorney and former prosecutor familiar with the prosecutor's policies and standards, I can be invaluable to ensuring that you are protected. A defendant without counsel doesn’t know when to push back, or even whether they have been charged with the right crime. By hiring me, you get the peace of mind that you received the best possible result from your case..
I handle cases in municipal, county, state, federal, justice, superior and district courts throughout Arizona.
6040 N. Seventh Street Phone: 602-265-6666
Suite 300 Fax: 602-264-5116
Phoenix, AZ 85214 Cell: 480-201-1791
email:Mark.Andersen@yahoo.com
