Criminal Law
We have a well-established specialist group in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. We have several dedicated and competent attorneys with extensive experience in Criminal Law, and we currently have permanent defense attorneys and assistance lawyers, both in Arendal and Kristiansand.
Our lawyers assist victims and suspects in criminal cases during both the investigation phase and court proceedings. We have significant trial experience and have handled several major court processes in District Courts and Appellate Courts with positive results.
Our professional expertise and experience enable us to assist in any criminal case. We strive to follow up and provide guidance in a manner that makes the process you are involved in feel manageable and secure, whether you are a victim or a family member, a suspect, charged, or indicted.
Our Specialization
Assistance During Investigation
Those who have been designated as suspects/charged in a criminal case have rights that a lawyer can help you assert during the investigation. As a suspect/charged individual, you have the right to be assisted by a lawyer of your choice at all stages of the criminal case.
The lawyer will also ensure that you are kept regularly updated on the developments in your case. You and your lawyer can jointly influence the outcome by requesting investigative steps, gathering supplementary evidence, asking for witness interrogations, etc. It may also be appropriate for you to request a new interrogation in order to provide a supplementary statement if necessary. We find that many cases are dismissed at the investigation stage due to the work put in by our lawyers in collaboration with clients. Therefore, it is wise to have a lawyer actively working on the case during this phase.
Assistance During Interrogation
You can, together with your lawyer, influence the outcome of a police investigation. In police interrogations, the suspect always has the right to be assisted by a lawyer. You are not obliged to explain yourself to the police. The lawyer can provide you with advice when you need to decide whether or not to explain yourself to the police. You have the right to know what you are being charged with before you potentially explain yourself to the police. You also have the right to access documents in your case. The lawyer can advise you on how to proceed, they can obtain the documents and go through them with you before you make your decision and advise on how to move forward, should you decide to explain yourself to the police. Together with your lawyer, you can review the documents and the evidence available in the case. Perhaps there is evidence that you believe should be obtained that may work to your advantage.
Indictment – Court Proceedings
In some cases, the prosecutor (police prosecutor or state prosecutor) decides to file charges. This means that the case is submitted to the court for legal proceedings. The court will then consider whether someone is guilty or not based on the charges brought by the prosecution.
It is important that you and your lawyer develop a clear and effective plan for conducting the trial. The prosecution will present their evidence to assert guilt. If you believe you are innocent of the charges, it is important to present your own evidence and witnesses to counteract the police’s case. Perhaps there are important witnesses and documentary evidence that the police have overlooked? It is also crucial to have a clear strategy for conveying the key points that the court should weigh. One of our lawyers will help you analyse the case in advance and develop a strategy that leads to the best possible outcome. Our work often results in acquittals in District Courts and Appellate Courts.
If you disagree with the District Court’s result, our competent lawyers will assist you with an appeal to the Appellate Court, regardless of whether you were represented by one of our lawyers or someone else during the District Court proceedings.
Dismissals and Acquittals – Compensation
In the case of acquittals or dismissals, we assist with pursuing claims for compensation due to wrongful prosecution. One of our trainee lawyers has written a master’s thesis on the topic, and one of our lawyers has prior work experience with handling such claims at the Norwegian National Courts Administration.
Execution of Sentences
We regularly assist clients during the execution of sentences, such as applications for leave, school placements, etc. We can also help with applications for serving sentences under electronic monitoring (ankle monitor).
Tofte Hald has a dedicated team in criminal law that specialises in this field. We know how to handle a difficult situation, and all our clients are important to us, regardless of whether the case is small or large. Our aim is for those who seek our assistance to experience a high degree of professionalism and for everyone to be taken seriously and receive close follow-up in what can be a challenging situation.
The costs for our assistance will generally be covered by the government, and it is always free to contact us for an informal discussion about your case. Initially, we will clarify if and to what extent you can have your costs covered by the government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jeg er mistenkt i straffesak – hva gjør jeg?
Du bør tidlig kontakte advokat og søke råd i saken. I politiavhør har du som mistenkt alltid rett til å la seg bistå av advokat. Advokaten vil kunne hjelpe deg med å vurdere hvordan du bør gå frem overfor politiet. Advokaten vil også hjelpe deg med å innhente saksdokumentene fra politiet og ta stilling til om du bør forklare deg for politiet.
Har jeg krav på gratis forsvarer?
I mange straffesaker vil du kunne ha krav på advokat (forsvarer) som dekkes av det offentlige. Dette gjelder både mens saken etterforskes av politiet og hvis det blir rettssak senere. Ofte gir ikke politiet nok informasjon til den mistenkte/siktede om retten til gratis forsvarer, og vi anbefaler derfor at du tar kontakt med en advokat for å få veiledning om dette. Hvis saken ender med en rettssak, vil du i de aller fleste saker ha krav på gratis forsvarer.
Kan jeg føre motbevis?
Du kan føre motbevis. Det er viktig å ta dette opp med advokat så tidlig som mulig. Dette kan føre til at saken mot deg blir henlagt tidligst mulig, slik at du slipper belastningen det er å ha en ikke avgjort sak mot deg.
Tiltale er tatt ut – hva nå?
Du og din forsvarer må ha et samarbeid i saken, og legge en strategi for gjennomføringen av rettssaken. Spørsmålet om skyld og straff må behandles grundig i forkant. Din forsvarer vil kunne gi deg gode råd om gjennomføringen av saken.
Jeg har tilstått et straffbart forhold – hva nå?
Du vil ha krav på tilståelsesrabatt. Kanskje saken kan gå som en forenklet prosess for retten ved en såkalt tilståelsespådømmelse. Dette kan medføre at du får lavere straff og at belastningen ved å gjennomføre saken blir mindre.
Kan jeg få lavere straff?
En advokat vil hjelpe med å synliggjøre formidlende omstendigheter, det vil si forhold som kan føre til en mildere straff. Kanskje har det skjedd store endringer i livet og livsførselen som bør vektlegges, eller kanskje har du nylig fått startet opp behandlings- og rehabiliteringsprosesser? Vi har god erfaring med at vårt arbeid fører til at klienter får mildere straffer og alternative straffereaksjoner som samfunnsstraff, slik at klienten kan få fortsette på sin positive utvikling som alternativ til fengselsstraff.
Kan jeg få en annen straff enn fengsel?
Det kan i en del tilfeller være aktuelt med såkalt betinget fengsel, dvs. at du slipper å sone, men får en prøvetid. Videre kan det i en del saker være aktuelt med samfunnsstraff eller promilleprogram. Dersom du er under 18 år er ungdomsoppfølging eller ungdomsstraff aktuelt. Det kan være aktuelt å få innhentet en personundersøkelse. Din forsvarer kan be om at dette blir innhentet. Det kan også innhentes eventuelt helsemessig informasjon om deg, eventuelt annet relevant informasjon om deg til betydning for den straffen/straffetypen du får.