Greenfield Criminal Defense Lawyer

Hancock County has its own rhythms when it comes to criminal prosecution, and anyone who has spent time in Greenfield’s courts understands that. Charges filed locally move through a system that includes the Hancock County Superior Court and Circuit Court, where prosecutors and judges operate with their own particular tendencies and expectations. A Greenfield criminal defense lawyer who actually knows that environment can make a meaningful difference in how a case unfolds, from the initial hearing through resolution.

The stakes in a criminal case are not limited to the courtroom. A conviction can shape employment prospects, housing applications, professional licenses, and more for years or decades afterward. The decisions made in the earliest stages of a case, including how quickly an attorney gets involved and what strategy takes shape before the first hearing, often determine what options remain available later.

Rigney Law LLC works with individuals facing criminal charges in Greenfield and throughout Hancock County, bringing the kind of preparation and courtroom experience that positions clients for the best possible outcome. Jacob Rigney and Kassi Rigney have built a practice grounded in genuine effort and substantive legal analysis, not surface-level representation.

What Greenfield Criminal Defense Clients Actually Face

Criminal cases in Greenfield span a wide range of charge categories, and the consequences attached to each vary considerably. Understanding what you are actually up against, including the realistic potential penalties and how these cases are typically prosecuted in Indiana, is where a defense attorney’s analysis begins.

• OWI and Drunk Driving Charges: Indiana’s operating while intoxicated statute covers alcohol and controlled substances, with enhanced penalties applying when a BAC reaches a certain threshold or when prior convictions exist. Arrests frequently occur on US-40 and State Road 9 in and around Greenfield, and the license consequences that follow can be as disruptive as the criminal penalties themselves.
• Drug Possession and Dealing Charges: Indiana classifies drug offenses by substance type and quantity, with possession charges ranging from misdemeanors to significant felonies depending on the weight involved. Greenfield and the surrounding Hancock County area see these charges arise from traffic stops, residential searches, and informant-driven investigations.
• Theft and Property Crimes: Shoplifting, conversion, auto theft, and criminal mischief charges are among the more commonly filed property offenses in Indiana courts. The level of the charge typically tracks the value of property alleged to be involved, and felony thresholds are lower than many people expect.
• Domestic Battery and Protective Order Violations: These cases move quickly and often involve an emergency protective order before a defendant has had any opportunity to respond. The downstream consequences, including firearm rights and professional licensure, make early attorney involvement especially important.
• Assault and Battery: Indiana treats these as potentially serious felonies depending on the circumstances, including the use of a deadly weapon or the status of the alleged victim. Fights, bar altercations, and disputes that escalate can result in felony charges that carry significant prison exposure.
• Gun and Weapons Offenses: Carrying without a license, pointing a firearm, and unlawful possession by a convicted person are among the charges handled regularly in Indiana courts. A conviction in this category carries fines and incarceration along with the permanent loss of Second Amendment rights in many circumstances.
• Felony Charges Across Multiple Levels: Indiana’s felony sentencing structure runs from Level 6, which is the least serious, through Level 1. Even a Level 6 felony can mean up to two and a half years in prison and advisory sentences that courts apply in real cases. Higher-level felonies bring substantially more prison exposure and mandatory minimums that limit judicial discretion.

What to Do Immediately After an Arrest or Charge in Hancock County

The hours and days immediately following an arrest or the receipt of a summons are often the most consequential. One of the most common and costly mistakes people make is waiting. Indiana law provides procedural deadlines that affect what options remain available, including certain motions that must be filed within specified timeframes after charges are filed. Delay does not improve a case’s trajectory.

If you have been arrested, your first obligation to yourself is to say as little as possible to law enforcement. This is not about appearing uncooperative. It is about the reality that statements made to officers before an attorney is present are routinely used against defendants at trial or during plea negotiations. Exercise your right to remain silent and ask for an attorney. Those two steps can be among the most important decisions you make.

Hancock County Superior Court and Hancock County Circuit Court, both located in the Courthouse Square area of Greenfield, handle the bulk of criminal matters arising in this jurisdiction. Knowing which court your case is assigned to and what that court’s practices look like matters when building a defense strategy. The Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office handles charging decisions, and an attorney who is familiar with how that office operates has practical information that informs case evaluation.

Gather and preserve anything that might be relevant to what happened. Text messages, photographs, receipts, surveillance footage, and witness contact information can disappear quickly. Video footage from businesses and residences is often overwritten within days. If there is a police report, obtaining a copy as soon as possible gives your attorney the starting point for understanding what the state believes it can prove.

Indiana’s expungement statute can seal certain records from public view, but it does not apply to every conviction. Making decisions about a case with long-term record consequences in mind, rather than just the immediate penalty, is part of what a criminal defense attorney in Greenfield should be helping you think through from the beginning.

How Indiana’s Criminal Case Process Actually Works

A criminal case in Indiana does not move from arrest to trial overnight. The process involves an initial hearing where the court advises the defendant of charges and sets conditions of release, followed by a period of discovery during which the defense receives the state’s evidence. This discovery phase is where a defense attorney does much of the most important work, reviewing police reports, body camera footage, lab results, witness statements, and any other documentation the state intends to rely on.

After reviewing discovery, the attorney can assess the strength of the state’s case and identify any legal problems with the evidence. Evidence obtained through an unlawful traffic stop, a search conducted without proper legal authority, or a statement taken in violation of a defendant’s rights may be subject to suppression. A successful suppression motion can fundamentally alter the case, sometimes resulting in dismissal when the excluded evidence was central to the prosecution’s theory.

Most criminal cases in Indiana resolve through plea negotiations rather than jury trials. This does not mean accepting whatever the prosecutor initially offers. It means that the quality of the defense attorney’s preparation and the credibility they bring to negotiations directly affects what kind of deal, if any, becomes available. Prosecutors know which attorneys actually prepare for trial and which ones reflexively push for quick pleas. That reputation matters in ways that are difficult to quantify but entirely real.

When a case does go to trial, jury selection in Hancock County draws from the local community. Opening statements, cross-examination, and closing argument require genuine litigation skill developed through real courtroom experience. The criminal defense attorneys at Rigney Law LLC have put in that experience day after day, and bring it to every case, whether it resolves before trial or not.

Why Rigney Law LLC Handles Greenfield Criminal Cases Differently

The attorneys at Rigney Law LLC, Jacob Rigney and Kassi Rigney, built their practice around the understanding that criminal defense work demands actual preparation. The firm’s stated philosophy is direct: great criminal defense attorneys are not made in law school alone, but through years of practical courtroom experience, and the effort behind the scenes that makes courtroom performance possible. That means coming in early, working late, and doing what it takes to understand each client’s case thoroughly before setting foot in a courtroom.

For someone in Greenfield facing criminal charges, this means having a criminal defense attorney in Greenfield who treats your case as something worth genuine attention rather than a file to move toward disposition. The firm’s approach to cases involving OWI charges, drug offenses, gun crimes, expungement, and parole hearings reflects a practice that handles the full scope of Indiana criminal law, not just a slice of it. That breadth matters because criminal cases often involve overlapping consequences, and understanding how a charge might affect your license, your record, or a pending parole situation is part of giving real advice.

Rigney Law LLC also handles civil asset forfeiture matters, which arise when law enforcement seizes cash, vehicles, or other property. Many people do not realize that forfeiture proceedings move on their own timeline, separate from any criminal case, and that failing to act quickly can result in permanently losing seized property even when charges are never filed.

Questions Greenfield Residents Ask About Criminal Charges

What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Indiana?

Indiana classifies criminal offenses as infractions, misdemeanors, or felonies. Misdemeanors are divided into Class A, B, and C, with Class A being the most serious. Felonies run from Level 6 through Level 1, with Level 1 carrying the most severe penalties. Even a Class A misdemeanor can result in up to one year in county jail and a fine, while felony convictions can mean years in the Indiana Department of Correction. The classification assigned to a charge is one of the first things an attorney analyzes because it determines the full range of potential consequences.

Can I be charged with OWI in Indiana even if I was not driving?

Indiana’s OWI statute covers operating a vehicle, not just driving it in the traditional sense. Courts have addressed situations where someone was in actual physical control of a vehicle while impaired, such as sitting in a running car in a parking lot. Whether a specific set of facts meets the legal definition is a question that requires analysis, and it is not always as clear-cut as the police report might suggest.

Will a criminal conviction show up on a background check in Indiana?

Yes, unless the record has been sealed through Indiana’s expungement process. Even arrests that did not result in conviction can appear on background checks. Indiana’s expungement statute allows eligible individuals to petition the court to seal certain records, which means employers, landlords, and others conducting background checks generally cannot see them. Timing and eligibility requirements apply, and not every offense qualifies.

How long does a criminal case typically take to resolve in Hancock County courts?

It varies considerably depending on the charge level, whether the case goes to trial, and the current caseload in Hancock County’s courts. Misdemeanor cases might resolve in a few months through negotiation or a quick trial setting. More serious felony cases can take considerably longer, particularly when discovery is extensive or pretrial motions are litigated. An attorney familiar with Hancock County’s courts can give a more realistic estimate once they have reviewed the specific charge and circumstances.

What happens at the initial hearing after an arrest in Greenfield?

Indiana law requires that an arrested person be brought before a judicial officer promptly. At the initial hearing, the court advises the defendant of the charges, the potential penalties, and their rights. The court also sets conditions of release, which may include a cash bail amount, electronic monitoring, or release on recognizance. Having an attorney present at or before this hearing can affect the conditions imposed, including whether bail is set at a level the defendant can meet.

Can my driver’s license be suspended as a result of a criminal conviction?

Yes, in several situations. An OWI conviction carries automatic license consequences under Indiana law, separate from the criminal sentence. Certain drug convictions can also trigger a suspension. If your license is suspended, Indiana does provide a process for seeking specialized driving privileges or full reinstatement depending on the circumstances. Rigney Law LLC handles license rehabilitation matters alongside the underlying criminal case.

Does hiring a private criminal defense attorney actually make a difference compared to using a public defender?

Public defenders in Indiana are licensed attorneys who know criminal law. The practical difference often comes down to caseload. Public defenders in many counties carry very high caseloads, which limits the time available for each case. A private attorney can devote more direct attention to your specific case, conduct independent investigation, and often has more time to develop pretrial motions and negotiate. Whether that difference is decisive depends on the specifics of the case, but the question is worth taking seriously.

What if I was charged with a crime related to something that happened on State Road 9 or the US-40 corridor near Greenfield?

Traffic stops along major corridors like SR-9 and US-40 generate a significant number of OWI arrests and drug charges in Hancock County. These stops create their own set of legal questions, including whether the officer had a valid basis to initiate the stop in the first place, whether any search of the vehicle was lawful, and whether field sobriety tests were administered properly. These are fact-specific inquiries that an attorney would work through using the officer’s report and any available video.

If charges are filed against me but I was not convicted, can I still have that arrest expunged?

Indiana’s expungement statute covers not just convictions but also arrests that did not result in a conviction. The waiting period and procedural requirements differ from those that apply to convictions, and in some cases the timeline to seek expungement of a non-conviction arrest is shorter. An attorney can determine whether and when you are eligible based on your specific record.

What should I actually say when police want to question me?

You have the right to remain silent, and you should use it. This applies whether you are under arrest or simply being questioned. Politely decline to answer substantive questions and ask to speak with an attorney. Even if you believe you can explain your way out of a situation, talking to police without legal counsel present is almost never in your interest. What seems like a clarifying statement can be characterized differently once it is in a police report.

Serving Greenfield and Hancock County Criminal Defense Clients Throughout Central Indiana

Rigney Law LLC represents clients across Greenfield and the broader Hancock County area, including McCordsville, New Palestine, Fortville, Maxwell, Shirley, Wilkinson, Charlottesville, and Cumberland. The firm also handles criminal defense matters throughout the surrounding central Indiana region, including in Indianapolis and Marion County, Hamilton County communities such as Fishers and Noblesville, Shelby County including Shelbyville, Rush County including Rushville, Henry County including New Castle, and Boone County including Lebanon. Whether a client’s case originates in Greenfield’s local courts or in a neighboring county’s court system, the same level of preparation and attention applies across the firm’s representation area.

Talk to a Greenfield Criminal Defense Attorney at Rigney Law LLC

Criminal charges do not resolve themselves in favorable directions without focused legal work. If you are facing any kind of criminal allegation in Greenfield or Hancock County, the time to consult a Greenfield criminal defense attorney is before decisions get made that narrow your options. Rigney Law LLC offers free consultations, and the attorneys Jacob Rigney and Kassi Rigney are prepared to sit down with you, assess what you are facing, and give you an honest picture of where things stand and what can be done. Call today to schedule your consultation.