Criminal Defense

Protecting Your Rights

Brent Matter has experience defending individuals facing a variety of criminal charges. Whether you have been charged with a felony or misdemeanor, it is important to have an attorney who is focused on protecting your rights and minimizing any potential consequences. Felony convictions carry the most serious consequences. A person convicted of a felony is typically sentenced to serve at least one year in a state or federal prison and may be incarcerated for life. Although misdemeanors are less serious than felonies, a misdemeanor conviction can carry heavy fines, send you to jail, and leave you with a record that follows you for the rest of your life. From negotiating the charges or plea bargains to taking your case to trial before a jury, Brent will take every available step to make sure your rights are protected.

Brent has experience representing folks regarding:

Violent offenses - charges such as murder, homicide, or assault and battery have serious, life-altering consequences. Brent is prepared to handle these complex issues.
Traffic violations - fighting traffic violations from simple speeding tickets or reckless driving charges can save you from paying costly fines and fees and protect your driving record for insurance purposes.
Alcohol & DUI - if you face driving while under the influence or other alcohol-related charges like minor in consumption or possessing false identification, Brent has the skills and experience necessary to defend your case.
Drug violations - charges of trafficking, distributing or possessing an illegal substance can also carry severe consequences like extended jail time, costly fines, and may impact your future record. Brent's goal is to eliminate or minimize the charges against you.
Sex crimes - a conviction for a sex crime affects your freedom and reputation. Brent will make sure that your rights are protected.
Domestic violence - Brent has experience advocating for those charged with crimes of domestic violence and making sure their side of the story is told.
Property crimes - Brent has skillfully protected those accused of property crimes like theft, robbery, and burglary.
Sentence modification - if you have recently been sentenced of a crime, there is still a potential opportunity to change the original terms of the sentence that was initially imposed. Brent can help you navigate this process.
Suspended imposition of sentence - a suspended imposition of sentence is a procedure that allows a person that has pled guilty to an offense to have that conviction cleared from his or her record. In South Dakota a person is only allowed to have one suspended imposition of sentence in his or her life. If this is something you are interested in pursuing for your case, contact Brent.