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How a criminal lawyer can help you…

How a lawyer can help ...

 Do you need a criminal lawyer? If you’re looking at an ordinary parking ticket or other minor infraction, hiring an attorney will cost you more than the charge. But when the consequences of losing are severe, such as a possible prison sentence or suspension or loss of a driver’s license, then you would be wise to seek out an experienced criminal defense attorney.

A criminal lawyer can help…

  1. Assess your legal situation and use their knowledge and expertise in local matters to your best advantage. There are safeguards in the US Constitution that protect your rights should you be arrested, such as the right against self-incrimination, the right to an attorney, the right to a speedy trial, and your right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. If you are in trouble with the law, are a suspect, or a party to an investigation, a criminal defense lawyer can:
    • Investigate the facts of your case.
    • Interview witnesses while memories are fresh. The lawyer knows what questions to ask; you don’t.
    • Explain to you the possible hidden costs of pleading guilty (i.e., the affect on future jobs, affect on your criminal record).
    • Secure your release on affordable bail if you are arrested or imprisoned, either prior to trial, during trial, or pending an appeal of a conviction.
    • Use their personal knowledge of local court customs, procedures, judges, prosecutors and criminal law to your best advantage.
    • Help you navigate the criminal justice system.
  2. Suggest alternative courses of action. Which way to plead is a crucial choice at arraignment (guilty, not guilty, no contest) and there are repercussions for each. Consult a defense attorney about each option.
  3. Negotiate. Your lawyer can deal with the police and prosecutor more effectively before (or after) charges are brought than a self-represented person. If the prosecutor will not drop the charge, the lawyer can negotiate a guilty plea to a lesser offense if one is appropriate.
  4. Represent you in court. A criminal lawyer can defend you if you are charged with a crime or offense. An experienced attorney will determine whether to hire expert witnesses in hopes their testimony would throw the prosecutor’s case into doubt. If you are not literate in the English language, you need to be represented by an attorney to speak for you or an interpreter.
  5. Appeal conviction. A good lawyer can appeal a conviction, work on parole, petition for clemency or a pardon, and seek to expunge (or erase) a conviction.