Knoxville Bribery Attorney

High Quality Representation for Bribery Charges in Knoxville

The federal crime of bribery involves giving, offering, or promising anything of value to a federal public official with the intent of influencing that official to commit some action. It carries serious penalties including years in prison and expensive fines. If you are charged with bribery, it is important to act quickly to retain an experienced Knoxville bribery defense lawyer who can effectively represent you and protect you against the high level of investigation and prosecution you will be facing.

Robert R. Kurtz, Attorney at Law, had focused his practice on criminal defense matters in state and federal court since 2000 - for 18 years. You can expect from him aggressive representation that safeguards your rights and presents your side of the story. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee.

Knoxville Bribery Lawyer: Challenging the Prosecution

Bribery charges can be related to any public official who intends to benefit by:

• Committing an unauthorized exercise of power
• Refraining from performing a duty that is imposed by law
• Subjecting another to unlawful mistreatment or arrest
• Intentionally denying or impeding another from exercising their rights or privileges

The same federal statute that prohibits giving or offering bribes to public officials also prohibits receiving them. A knowledgeable Knoxville criminal defense attorney can challenge bribery prosecution in a number of ways, and will hold the prosecution to its burden of proving every element of the crime. In many cases, the intent to influence cannot be proven, or the quid pro quo (something for something) exchange cannot be established. In some instances, the defense can be raised that the defendant is not truly a public official as defined by law.

Bribery conviction carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, along with fines up to triple the amount of the bribe. A public official convicted of receiving a bribe will be sanctioned and disqualified from holding public office in the future.