When you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor it can seem like the deck is stacked against you. In any criminal case, you should choose a lawyer who will be your best advocate and develop an effective and creative legal defense strategy that uses the law and the rules in your favor. While avoiding a conviction altogether is always the ultimate goal, you should select an attorney who knows how to evaluate all of your options and achieve that best-case scenario, a downgraded charge, reduced penalties or other compromises that minimize the impact on your life - both immediately and in the long term.