D.C. Criminal Offenses

You speak with Jamison Koehler directly. He asks what happened, what you have been charged with, and when your next court date is, and tells you what he can do and what it costs. Call 202-549-2374.

No. Koehler Law practices only in D.C. Superior Court, with appeals to the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Generally, yes. A criminal offense in D.C. requires both an act, or an omission to act, and a mental state. The government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the prohibited act and had the criminal intent the statute requires.

Two offices. The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia handles traffic matters, juvenile offenses and violations of the D.C. municipal code. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, a federal entity, handles all other offenses.

A defendant charged with an offense punishable by six months or more is eligible for a jury trial. All other cases are tried before a judge, who serves as both finder of fact and finder of law.

The maximum penalty decides it. A felony in D.C. carries a maximum of more than one year of incarceration. An offense with a maximum of one year or less is a misdemeanor.