Felonies and misdemeanors
Defense in cases ranging from lower-level offenses to serious felony accusations, including pre-indictment and post-indictment proceedings.
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Queens criminal defense
Queens Criminal Defense Lawyers
Sharifov & Associates, PLLC defends people facing arrests, Desk Appearance Tickets, misdemeanors, felonies, and DWI charges in Queens Criminal Court and Queens Supreme Court.
Video consultations are available by request. For an imminent court date or recent arrest, call rather than relying only on an online message.
Rovshan Sharifov
Former New York prosecutor
24+ years of criminal-law experience
Super LawyersSelected 2019–2026
Focused criminal representation
Queens criminal defense, from the Kew Gardens arraignment forward.
Experienced. Respected. Aggressive. Successful.
Most Queens criminal cases begin at 125-01 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. After an arrest, a person is processed at the precinct and Central Booking and is usually arraigned in Queens County Criminal Court within about 24 hours. A Desk Appearance Ticket sets a later arraignment date in the same courthouse. Felony cases that continue after an indictment are heard in Queens County Supreme Court, Criminal Term, in the same courthouse complex.
Sharifov & Associates, PLLC represents clients at arraignments in Queens Criminal Court and in felony cases in Queens County Supreme Court. The defense is developed around the actual record: police conduct, witness accounts, statements, video, digital evidence, identification procedures, search issues, and the consequences a criminal case may create outside the courtroom.
Founding attorney Rovshan Sharifov is a former New York prosecutor with more than 24 years of criminal-law experience. He has been selected to Super Lawyers for 2019–2026.
If the matter is active now
Protect the record before making the next decision.
Ask to speak with a lawyer before answering investigative questions.
Keep the summons, Desk Appearance Ticket, court notice, and release papers together.
Do not miss a court date or assume that a lawyer can appear without you.
Avoid discussing the allegations by text, social media, or with potential witnesses.
Criminal cases handled
Defense across serious New York criminal matters.
The charge name is only the starting point. The defense must account for how the evidence was obtained, what the prosecution must prove, and what consequences matter most to the client.
Assault and domestic-violence allegations
Representation where an arrest may also involve temporary orders of protection, family contact restrictions, and related collateral concerns.
DWI, DWAI, and driving offenses
Defense involving traffic stops, chemical-test evidence, field observations, license consequences, and criminal driving charges.
Theft, larceny, fraud, and financial crimes
Matters involving petit larceny, grand larceny, shoplifting, forged instruments, fraud allegations, and white-collar investigations.
Drug and weapons charges
Cases requiring close review of possession theories, search and seizure, statements, laboratory evidence, and alleged intent.
Investigations, Grand Jury, and federal matters
Counsel before arrest, during surrender planning, in Grand Jury matters, and in appropriate federal criminal proceedings.
From first contact forward
How a criminal case may progress.
The sequence varies. Some cases begin with a Desk Appearance Ticket or investigation; others involve custody, warrants, indictment, or federal procedure.
- 01
Investigation or arrest
Counsel can assess police contact, arrange a voluntary surrender when appropriate, and help prevent avoidable statements or missed deadlines.
- 02
Arraignment and release
At arraignment, the charges are addressed and the court considers release, bail where legally permitted, and any temporary order of protection.
- 03
Discovery and case review
The defense reviews reports, recordings, video, statements, physical evidence, identification evidence, and the prosecution’s legal theory.
- 04
Motions and hearings
Depending on the facts, counsel may litigate the sufficiency of accusatory papers, suppression issues, discovery compliance, or other pretrial questions.
- 05
Negotiation or trial preparation
Every offer must be evaluated against the evidence, defenses, immigration or licensing concerns, and the client’s goals. Trial preparation remains case-specific.
Criminal case flowchart
How a New York criminal case may progress
The original branching diagram is below. Follow its arrows from arrest through possible dismissal, plea, trial, and sentencing; actual paths vary.
- Stage
- Decision point
- Case ends
- Sentencing
ArrestWarrant or probable cause
ArraignmentCharges, bail, plea
Charge conversionGrand jury or information
DiscoveryEvidence disclosure (CPL 245)
Motion practicePretrial motions and suppression hearings
If grantedDismissal grantedCharges dismissed — case ends
Case continues
Decision pointPlea negotiationResolve or proceed to trial
Guilty pleaPlea allocution and sentencing terms
Trial trackMotions, hearings, jury/bench trial
Case endsTrial acquittalNot guilty verdict — case ends
Trial convictionGuilty verdict — proceeds to sentencing
Guilty pleaPlea allocution and sentencing terms
→ Sentencing
Trial trackMotions, hearings, jury/bench trial
Case endsTrial acquittalNot guilty verdict — case ends
Trial convictionGuilty verdict — proceeds to sentencing
→ Sentencing
Final stageSentencingPresentence report where required
Read the diagram as text: stages and possible outcomes
Common stages
Investigation or arrest
Police contact, an arrest, or an appearance ticket. Some cases begin without a custodial arrest.
Arraignment
The court addresses the charges, counsel, and release or other securing conditions.
Charge review
Grand Jury action may be needed for a felony; a misdemeanor complaint may be converted to an information.
Evidence & motions
Discovery, investigation, and pretrial motions can shape the case or lead to dismissal.
Plea or trial
A negotiated plea may resolve the matter; unresolved charges can proceed to trial.
Possible outcomes
- Case ends
Charges dismissed
A dismissal ends the case without sentencing. It may occur earlier in the process.
- Case ends
Not-guilty verdict
An acquittal at trial ends the case without sentencing.
- Sentencing follows
Guilty plea or verdict
A guilty plea or a conviction at trial proceeds to sentencing.
Court orientation
Know which court is handling the case.
In Queens, Criminal Court handles misdemeanors and lesser offenses and conducts arraignments and preliminary hearings in felony cases. Felony cases that continue after an indictment are handled in Queens County Supreme Court, Criminal Term. Both sit in the Kew Gardens courthouse complex. Federal criminal cases arising in Queens are heard in the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. Always use the address and part listed on your current court notice.
Queens County Criminal Court
125-01 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, NY 11415
Queens misdemeanor matters, arraignments, and preliminary felony proceedings.
Queens Criminal Court and Supreme Court in Kew Gardens: What to ExpectQueens County Supreme Court, Criminal Term
125-01 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, NY 11415
Felony cases after an indictment, or after a waiver of indictment when the law allows it, from hearings and plea negotiations through trial and sentencing.
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Federal criminal cases arising in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island.
Court addresses and schedules can change. Confirm the current court notice and use official court sources before traveling.
Local access
Queens cases handled from the firm’s Brooklyn office.
The firm’s New York City office is at 1629 Sheepshead Bay Road in Brooklyn. Clients with a Queens case can meet at that office or by video consultation, and the firm’s attorneys appear in the Kew Gardens courthouse for arraignments, conferences, hearings, and trial.
For court days, the E and F trains stop at Union Turnpike–Kew Gardens, about two blocks from the courthouse. There is no public parking at the courthouse. Arrive early for security screening, bring identification and your paperwork, and keep every paper the court gives you.
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers for the first decisions.
These answers provide general New York information. A lawyer must review the facts, papers, and deadlines in your individual matter.
Official arraignment informationWhere are Queens arrests arraigned?
How soon after a Queens arrest is the arraignment?
Where is Queens Supreme Court, Criminal Term?
Can a Queens judge set bail?
What if I miss a court date in Queens?
Which court handles a federal case from Queens?
Can an arrest affect my employment, license, or immigration status?
Related location guide
New York City Criminal Defense
Facing a case in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, or another NYC court? Review the dedicated New York City defense page.
Confidential consultation
Discuss the charge, court date, or investigation with the firm.
Call for a time-sensitive matter or use the main consultation form to request an in-person or remote video consultation. Do not send confidential details until the firm confirms representation.
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