Defense of the Most Serious Federal & State Crimes

When the stakes are measured in decades, life without parole, capital punishment, or lifetime registration, Blau | Hynson considers selective trial-level representation. We accept only a very small number of criminal defense matters each year—cases where consequences are extreme, issues are complex, and our appellate-driven strategy can make a material difference.

Who We Represent—and When We Step In

We are built for high-risk, high-consequence litigation. Typical matters include major violent offenses, serious sex-offense allegations that carry lifetime registration, and federal prosecutions with severe guideline exposure or mandatory minimums. We are often engaged pre-indictment or pre-trial to shape the record, direct motion practice, and protect objections that will matter later. We also consult mid-case when pivotal evidentiary or constitutional questions arise.

Representative Matter Types Include:

• Homicide & Attempted Homicide (first-degree/second-degree murder, felony murder, voluntary/involuntary manslaughter)
• Serious Sex Offenses & Lifetime Registration (rape/sexual assault, statutory offenses, sexual exploitation of a minor, indecent liberties)
• Internet-Based Exploitation Offenses (possession/distribution allegations; solicitation/online exploitation)
• Human Trafficking & Sexual Servitude (state and federal)
• Violent Felonies (armed robbery, first-degree burglary, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury)
• Domestic-Violence Strangulation & Habitual DV (repeat-offense enhancements; serious injury allegations)
• Major Drug Trafficking & Conspiracy (state trafficking thresholds; federal 21 U.S.C. §§ 841/846 mandatory minimums)
• Firearms & Weapons Offenses (state felon-in-possession; federal §§ 922(g), 924(c); NFA matters)
• RICO / CCE & Organized-Crime Allegations (enterprise, conspiracy, leadership enhancements)
• Public Corruption & High-Value Fraud (wire/mail/bank/health-care fraud; embezzlement with substantial loss; honest-services theories)
• Arson & Explosive-Related Offenses (state/federal; risk-of-death enhancements)
• Gang-Related & Terroristic-Threat Enhancements (where applicable and charge-driven)
• Capital & LWOP Sentencing Issues (mitigation errors, proportionality, constitutional challenges)
• Recidivist Enhancements (NC Habitual Felon/Violent Habitual; federal ACCA, career-offender, §851)

An Appellate Mindset at Trial

Trials are won—or preserved—issue by issue. Our team brings an appellate lawyer’s discipline to the courtroom: framing legal questions for review, lodging precise objections, building offers of proof, and ensuring rulings are clear on the record. That approach strengthens the defense now and safeguards options if post-verdict relief becomes necessary. When appropriate, we pursue interlocutory review of dispositive legal errors to avoid irreversible harm.

Strategy for State and Federal Courts

Serious charges can originate in North Carolina’s state courts or in federal court, and some conduct implicates both. Wherever the case sits, we anchor strategy in the rules of evidence, controlling precedent, and standards of review that will ultimately govern scrutiny on appeal. We coordinate closely with investigators and experts, manage scientific and digital-forensics issues, and prepare targeted motions to exclude unreliable proof or to enforce constitutional limits on the prosecution’s case.

Candor About Fit and Outcomes

Selectivity is essential to performance. We decline far more matters than we accept because focus—on the law, the facts, and the record—drives results. If we cannot add measurable value at trial, we will say so plainly and, when possible, recommend next steps or alternate counsel. For clients we do accept, our objective is simple: pursue outcomes that actually change lives—dismissals, acquittals, favorable resolutions in the shadow of trial risk, and, when needed, a strong foundation for appeal or post-conviction relief.

Engage Us Early

Early involvement can be decisive. Deadlines for motions, discovery, suppression, and expert work arrive quickly, and unpreserved errors may never be reviewed. If your matter involves capital exposure, decades in prison, or lifetime collateral consequences, contact us for a candid assessment.

📞 Call (919) 256-3606 to request a confidential consultation.