Beaufort Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been charged with a crime in Beaufort, your case will be heard at the Carteret County Courthouse. Joel Hancock’s office is on Cedar Street, a few minutes away, and he is in that courthouse most weeks. He has defended criminal and traffic cases in Carteret County since 2013, and it is the only county where he practices.

Charges Joel Hancock defends in Beaufort

Criminal and traffic defense is the whole practice. That includes:

• DWI, including a first offense, a repeat charge, and refusal of the breath test
• Traffic tickets, from speeding and expired tags to driving while license revoked
• Drug charges, from simple possession to trafficking
• Misdemeanors, including assault, larceny, and trespassing
• Felonies, including breaking and entering, serious assaults, and drug felonies
• Expungements, to clear an eligible charge or conviction off your record

What happens after a Beaufort arrest

Most people charged in Beaufort see a magistrate first, who sets the conditions of release. From there the case is scheduled into Carteret County District Court. If it is a felony, it may later move to Superior Court.

Two things matter early. The first is what you say. You are not required to explain yourself to an officer, and doing so rarely helps. The second is your court date. Missing it can turn a manageable charge into a failure to appear, which brings its own consequences including a revoked license.

For many waivable traffic offenses, Joel can appear for you so that you do not have to take a day off work.

Why local matters here

Joel Hancock was born and raised on Harkers Island. He is in front of the same judges, the same assistant district attorneys, and the same clerks nearly every week, and he has been since 2013. He knows how this courthouse actually runs: which matters get resolved at the first setting, what a particular charge tends to look like here, and when it is worth pushing.

What it costs

Joel charges flat fees, quoted before you hire him, so you know the number up front. In most cases he can set up a payment plan. The first conversation is free, and if the math does not work in your favor he will say so on the phone rather than take the case.

Talk to a Beaufort criminal defense attorney

Call 252-515-1516 or send a message below. The first conversation is free and confidential.

This page is general information about the firm’s practice, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.