What Is a Criminal Defense Lawyer

What is a criminal defense lawyer? He or she is a legal professional who
organizes a case in order to represent a client who is accused of a crime.

These crimes include sex, drug and violent offenses which are things that are
not approved by society as seen in this country's laws.

The job now of the criminal defense lawyer is to fight for the client by
defending the client in open court in a jury of their peers. In some cases,
this person is successful when the jury gives a verdict of not guilty. Other
times, the jury will say that the accused is guilty.

If the jury does not have a unanimous decision, the judge has no choice but to
call for a retrial. Should there by a mistake made in the trial such as the
selection of the jury, the judge will say that it is a mistrial and once again,
both sides will have to start over and present their case.

There are instances where the criminal defense lawyer and the prosecutor don't
have to settle this matter in court. This may happen as both sides have an
agreement and this is approved by the judge.

But how does this all happen? First, a crime has to be committed. Law
enforcement authorities will then have to figure out what happen and if they
have enough evidence, a suspect is arrested.

The person who is arrested has the right to remain silent during questioning
until their lawyer is present. If the person cannot afford one, then a lawyer
will be provided so even those who don't have money will be properly
represented.

The sixth amendment in the bill of rights state that anyone who is arrested has
the right to a speedy trial and this has to be done where the crime was
committed. After being arraigned, the criminal defense lawyer will now conduct
an investigation by interviewing witnesses, reviewing police reports and any
other evidence that is related to the case.

The suspect that is charged with the crime can only be convicted if the case
presented by the district attorney's office is very convincing. This means that
a criminal defense lawyer can get a not guilty verdict by putting holes into the
defense of the prosecution. When this happens, the client is freed. Should
things go the other away, the criminal defense lawyer can make an appeal to the
higher court regarding the lower court's conviction.

Can anyone become a criminal defense lawyer? A lot of experts say no because
unlike other specializations in the practice, some find it very intimidating
especially when the client that you have to represent is actually guilty of the
crime. But given that you are that person's attorney, it is your duty to defend
the accused to the best of your ability from start to finish.

Given that crime of all sorts and nature occur, some have set up their own law
firms that specialize in criminal law. Most who graduate from law school work
for the government and are often referred to as "public defenders."

How much you earn as a criminal defense lawyer varies. This depends mainly who
your client is because if you are defending a millionaire, you can charge a lot
for your legal fees while someone who doesn't earn much will be able to only
give how much is in their wallet.

What a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Do For You

If you are accused of a crime, the only person that can help you out is a
criminal defense attorney. This is because you are not familiar with how the
judiciary system works which makes it hard for you to represent yourself in
open court.

This is because a lot of the legal rules are hidden away in court
interpretations of federal and state constitutions. A good example is whether
or not the search of your home was reasonable. It can only be considered a good
search if the police obtained a warrant otherwise anything found is not
admissible in court.

Given that the criminal defense lawyer has crossed swords with the prosecution
in the past, they are already familiar with the tactics that the opposing party
will be using and be prepared for it.

As you can see, it is a very specialized field and there are many things that
need to be checked out by your criminal defense lawyer before you are given a
guilty or not guilty verdict.

When your case has been given to them, you will be asked what happened. You
will have to give your version of the events that took place. After listening,
they will provide you with a reality check especially what will happen should
the case go to trial.

They will then review the police report, interview witnesses and examine the
evidence. Since it is hard to look at everything on their own, they sometimes
have researchers do it.

When you are arraigned in court, you are required to submit a plea. You could
plead guilty or not guilty while some do not give one yet and then prepare for
the trial date.

If the evidence against you is overwhelming, perhaps your criminal defense
lawyer can negotiate so you can get a lighter sentence or reduced charges. This
can only happen if this is your first time or you have a criminal record and you
have something to trade.

For those who want to go to trail, the criminal defense lawyer will now prepare
your defense. This may sometimes mean taking up your stand and telling the court
the events that took place. This may be risky so before hand, you will be
briefed on what to say.

Witnesses will be presented. Some of these people will be able to aid in your
defense while others will be against you so another job that the criminal
defense lawyer will do is cross examine them in order to cast doubt in the
testimony they are giving.

The trial is almost over when the criminal defense lawyer and the prosecution
give their closing arguments. The jury will then be given time to deliberate
the case so you will know the verdict when they come back into the court and
read it.

If you get a not guilty verdict, the criminal defense lawyer was able to do
their job since you are a free man. But if you are guilty, then the next step
is to appeal the decision to a higher court and hopefully, they will overturn
that decision.

What a criminal defense lawyer does is not easy because the person they are
helping out could commit a similar crime again or even worse in the future.
Sadly, this is how the justice system works because everyone has a right to
counsel and tried before their peers.

The Criminal Defense Lawyer Association

Each state has its own criminal defense lawyer association. This organization
sees to it that anyone who is accused of a crime is given fair representation
in a court of law. They also do their share in protecting and strengthening the
constitution, improving the administration of justice and promoting public
awareness of the function and duties of criminal defense lawyers.

One way they are doing that is by offering legal services to those who cannot
afford to hire a top notch lawyer. Some call them public defenders that will do
their best to protect your rights.

Aside from providing their services to clients, they also have other activities
such as conduct seminars for its members, raise money and offer scholarships.
Each association is governed by a board which plans the events for the year
that includes publishing newsletters, formal and informal networking and
continuing legal education.

The criminal defense lawyer association through its members also lobbies and
obtains information about new legislation as this affects their practice
whenever they have to help a client in open court.

For those who are not yet members, all they have to do is fill up a form. Law
students may already apply and after paying the membership fee, they will be
able to access information about legal matters that are only available to
members.

Apart from state criminal lawyer associations, there is a bigger one called the
National Lawyer Association. What they do here is not that different from what
they do on the state level.

As a member, you get assess to online research, virtual office opportunities,
lawyer referral service, membership benefits and services as well as immediate
leadership opportunities in legal sections and committees. The best part is
that you don't have to leave your state's association to become a member in the
national level.

The advantage of being a member of a criminal defense lawyer association is
that anyone who wants to seek your services will no longer question your
capability as a lawyer because you have already proven yourself among your
colleagues.

How? By being granted membership into the organization which means they
recognize you as an equal. What potential clients will likely ask now is how
many cases have you won and how many times have you argued this in court.

When you talk to a client, tell them straight out they you cannot guarantee
that you can win their case. What you can promise though is that you will do
your best to help them get out of this mess.

So what should you do if you have a legal problem and have no idea who to call?
The best thing to do will be to get the number of the criminal defense lawyer
association in your state so you can get the name of a lawyer who can help you
out.

If you can't find it, look for it online because most of these have an official
website with a list of their current members and their contact numbers. Initial
consultation is usually free and if you are satisfied, then you should hire
this person immediately so your legal woes will be straightened out. The best
part is that you don't have to worry about paying for high legal fees since
this organization has ways of getting the necessary funds to pay for their
members.

Selecting a Criminal Defense Lawyer

In basketball, they say that a good defense is the best offense. The same goes
when you have to go to trial because your life is on the line and the only way
to prevent yourself from going to jail is by selecting a criminal defense
lawyer who will be able to represent you when the evidence is presented.

Criminal defense lawyers are a special breed of individuals because they
specialize in criminal law. Some of these people represent those who are guilty
and will do everything in their power to make sure their client does not go to
jail.

But how do you select a criminal defense lawyer? For that, you have to find
someone who specializes in this field. If you don't know any, ask your friends
or family for help.

When you see them for the first time, this is not a social call but business.
You should ask them straight out how long has he or she practiced criminal law,
the number of cases that went to trial and how many times have they won.

Do a background check on the criminal defense lawyer. Find out if they belong
to any legal organizations like the County or State Bar Associations. If this
person is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers,
then chances are you are already in good hands.

But since this is not enough, find out if they will have the time to work on
your case because you could lose it if they are not able to provide a good
defense.

You should also find out how much they charge for their legal fees and if they
will be the one who will personally handle your case. If they are asking you
for a large sum of money up front, leave the office and find someone else right
away.

If you find the rate reasonable and feel comfortable talking to this person,
then by all means hire this individual to be your criminal defense attorney.

Now discuss your case and then follow whatever instructions are given. This
person should be able to explain to you how things will go and what they will
do.

The ideal criminal defense lawyer is the public defender because this is what
they do day in and day out. Although they usually get a bad rap, they are very
experienced when it comes to going to court which is why they are often used as
consultants by private attorneys. Some have even left and established their own
firms specializing in criminal law.

Will this guarantee that you will win your day in court? Of course not. Nobody
can guarantee that even if you can afford hiring a very rich attorney.

This all boils down to how well this person will be able to cast doubt on the
evidence used by the prosecution because you will only get a guilty verdict if
they can prove beyond reasonable doubt that you are indeed responsible for the
crime.

Selecting a criminal defense lawyer is crucial because not be able to get a
good defense will likely get you a guilty verdict. You can prevent that form
happening since you are given time to look for one before you are arraigned and
asked how do you plead in front of the judge.

Life as a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Life as a criminal defense lawyer is not easy when your job is basically to
help those who are arrested of a crime. While some of the clients you meet are
innocent, many of them are guilty and have had previous run-ins with the law.

Since the law dictates that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and you
decided to specialize in this field, you have to defend this person by putting
up the best defense there is available.

There are various strategies you can use to get your client off. You can plead
insanity or claim that someone else did the crime. If your client has something
to offer, you can make a deal with the district attorney in exchange for the
client being granted immunity.

But before you decide what cards to play, you have to talk to your client. If
this person is in jail, you have to go there and ask what happened. You should
already discuss whether to enter a guilty or not guilty plea because your
client will be arraigned shortly.

When a trial date has been set, you can get a copy of the documents of the case
from the district attorney's office because by law, both sides are supposed to
view everything from the police reports to the evidence.

You will also get a copy of the people the prosecution will be calling to the
witness stand as they too will also be aware of that so there will be no
surprises during trial.

When it is your turn to cross examine the witness, you should use whatever is
available to cast doubt on their testimony because this is the only way that
the jury may be convinced that your client is not capable of doing the crime.
Using expert witnesses of your own is also helpful since they can dispute the
claims of the other camp.

Before the jury will reach its verdict, you will have one last chance to state
your client's innocence when you are given the opportunity for your closing
argument. When it is all over, you just have to wait for the decision of the
court to take the next course of action.

Your client's not guilty verdict means your job is done and you can move on and
work with another client. A guilty verdict means you have to stay on as counsel
for this individual and appeal the jury's decision to a higher court so you can
perhaps get a reversal.

The best way to win an appeal is to determine if there is something in the
trial that shouldn't have happened or was overlooked. These technicalities are
better known as constitutional protections. For instance, the client's
confession was taken without the presence of a lawyer so whatever they said is
inadmissible in court. The same goes if a search was done without a warrant.

There are many examples which you can use. You may even cite a case with
similar circumstances because this serves as precedence to the one you are
working on.

The life of a criminal defense lawyer is challenging no matter how many times
you have been inside the court room. This is because you get to work with
different clients each time since someone who was innocent can no longer be
charged with the same offense because of the principle of double jeopardy.

How to Find a Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you are arrested for a crime, the only thing that can only help get out of
a jam is with the help of a criminal defense lawyer. You can choose who wants to
represent you which shouldn't be a problem if you have money but if you don't,
you will have to settle with whoever the court appoints for you. But for those
who can hire one, here are a few tips to help you select a professional.

First, when you meet the criminal defense lawyer, you should ask how long has
he or she been practicing criminal law and also how many cases did they win.
Surely you don't want to work with a lawyer who is fresh out of college or has
never won a case. You also don't want to work with someone who chooses to
settle the matter out of court very often because you will probably get the
shorter end of the stick when you decide to go for the plea bargain.

The more years of experience this person has, the better because this
professional should already know the ins and outs of the judicial system. That
person may have already dealt with the prosecution in the past and knows how to
get a winning verdict.

You should also check if the lawyer that is representing you is certified
Criminal attorney. This will save you the time of asking how long this person
has been in the practice because getting such recognition means you have
actively participated in 100 cases involving the taking of testimony.

Naturally, you have to be comfortable with the criminal defense lawyer who will
be representing you in the case. He or she should be able to give you updates
like when is the trial, what strategy will be used during trial and other
matters that may help make the outcome go in your favor.

Since you are already in your office, be sure that the criminal defense lawyer
you are speaking with will be the one who will actually defending you and not
handed over to another person in the firm.

Given that the practice of criminal defense work is their bread and butter, you
should also discuss the fee arrangements. Some lawyers charge a flat fee while
others do it on an hourly basis. It is better to get a flat fee so you are not
charged every time you have to consult your lawyer over the phone or in person.
You should also find out if this already covers the case should this go to trial.

While the criminal defense lawyer will do their share to maintain your
innocence, you should also do your share so this can happen. You do this by
cooperating with them so they will be able to come up with a good defense.

The best criminal defense lawyer to get is the one who is experienced. After
all, a criminal trial may last weeks or even months before a verdict is
reached. This may cost you a great amount of money but if you get a not guilty
verdict from the jury, it is surely worth every penny so you can move on with
your life instead of spending the rest of it behind bars.

How Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer Do Their Job

Everyone has their day in court. This means that even if the client is guilty,
the criminal defense lawyer must do whatever is necessary so that person will
not be convicted of the crime.

How does that work? If you are a public defender, the client will be appointed
and you have to meet with them. Before this person is arraigned in court, you
will have time to discuss what will be their plea which will then be presented
to the judge. Afterwards, ample time will be given so you can conduct an
investigation, review police reports and examine the evidence to prepare you
for trial.

During the trial, both sides will be able to present witnesses. Some of these
are experts and after the prosecution questions this person on the stand, you
will have the chance to cross-examine them and vice versa.

Before the trial starts or even during, you can try to settle this matter out
of court. You have the right to accept or turn it down but you must first
discuss this with your client.

When all the witnesses have spoken and the evidence has been presented, the
only thing you have to work on now is your closing argument. You should
summarize everything that has happened in front of the jury because the
prosecution will do the same so the jury can now go to the jury room and make
their decision.

How long will the jury will be deliberating is anyone's guess. Sometimes a
verdict will be announced in less than hour while others will take longer. When
the jury has returned, you will know if the jury has reached a guilty or not
guilty verdict.

If the verdict is guilty, then you can appeal the decision to the higher court.
If the verdict is not guilty, then your client can walk out of the court room as
a free man.

The same thing happens when you are working for or have your own criminal
defense law firm. The only difference is that clients will go up to you. When
they walk in, they will want to interview you first to find out a little about
you.

You should be ready to answer questions such as how long have you been a
criminal defense attorney, how many cases have you won, do you go to trial
often or decide to settle this matter out of court and so on. How you answer
will help them decide if they want to hire you or not.

Another difference between those who operate privately is that you can charge a
certain fee for your legal services. You can charge a flat fee or on an hourly
basis. This depends on you.

If you are handling a lot of cases right now, be honest with the client and
tell them you can't because you will not be able to represent them to the
fullest of your ability in that condition.

So how do you a criminal defense attorney do their job? By operating on the
assumption that anyone who is arrested is innocent until proven guilty. This is
hard especially if you know your client did it but this is your duty as a public
defender. You failure to do so will mean this person will spend the rest of
their time in jail.

Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer for a DUI Charge

Ever been pulled over on a DUI charge? Yes this happens but you can beat the
system with the help of a criminal defense lawyer.

Drinking under the influence of DUI requires fast action on your part so that
your license will not be suspended. The first thing you have to do of course is
hire a lawyer so you can immediately be released from jail.

In some cases, this does not happen because you are released on your own
recognizance. However, some will require you to post bail which your lawyer can
take care of.

Once released, it is now time to address this issue. In some states, a DUI
charge generates 2 separate cases. The first is filed with the Department of
Motor Vehicles while the other is a criminal court case. When faced with this
problem, you have to face these charges within ten days from the date of the
arrest.

Just like any other criminal case, this begins with your arraignment. You will
be asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. Chances are, your criminal
defense lawyer will tell you to plead not guilty to these charges. This will
give him or her time to review the facts of the case so your defense will be
established.

There are many strategies available that your lawyer can use to you get out of
a DUI and have proven to be successful.

Your lawyer may for example argue lack of probably cause for the initial stop.
This means there was no reason at all to stop you and if that is the case,
submit a petition to suppress any evidence that the police obtained when you
were pulled over.

It is also possible to argue faulty of unreliable BAC results. The BAC stands
for blood alcohol test which is used to test if the person's alcohol level has
reached the maximum limit which makes him or her unsafe to drive a vehicle.

The results could be faulty if your lawyer can prove that the test was not
properly administered, the equipment used was not properly maintained or you
have a medical condition that may have an impact on the reliability of the test.

Another tactic is to attack the credibility of the arresting officer. If your
lawyer is able to question the police officer and prove there are
inconsistencies in their testimony compared with the police report they filed,
you just might have a chance of getting a not guilty verdict.

But if things are not working in your favor and everything was done by the
book, then your criminal defense lawyer may advise you to accept a favorable
plea agreement. Doing so may get you reduced charges or sentencing concessions
with the district attorney.

If you don't want to negotiate and decide to gamble in court and lose, then you
can try to appeal the court's decision. If you don't, there will likely be an
increase in your insurance cost, limits on employment options and
you will now have a permanent record.

Hiring a criminal defense lawyer is the only way to get out of a DUI charge.
After all, there are circumstances which you can argue so that you name will
not be included in the criminal database system.

A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Defend Against Murder Charges

Murder is one of the harshest things you can ever be charged with. If you are
arrested for the crime, it won't be long before you will be charged in court
for the crime but you can prove your innocence with the help of a criminal
defense lawyer.

When you are brought in for questioning, the first thing you have to do is ask
for a lawyer. If you can't afford one, don't worry because a state appointed
lawyer will be assigned to you. But if you have money, it is best to hire a
private attorney since they have better success rates than public defenders.

Once counsel is present, work with them so you can come up with a defense
strategy. You will have to tell them exactly what happened. If you really
committed the crime, they can argue that there are circumstances which made you
do it.

It is possible that you killed the person by reason of self-defense or possibly
you were temporarily insane. If you do this, you will be examined by a
psychiatrist because some people fake it.

You will shortly be arraigned so a trial date can be set so you should already
enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.

Days before trial, your defense lawyer should already work on a plan to create
reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury. He or she may hire expert witnesses
to testify on your behalf, present strong counter arguments and attack
weaknesses in the prosecution's argument.

Since your lawyer will have a chance to see what will be used in the case, he
or she may be able to suppress certain evidence if this was obtained illegally.
This may sometimes get a guilty person off on a technicality but this is all
part of the judicial process.

On your part, the only thing you have to do is behave yourself during the
entire court proceedings because your lawyer will be the only one doing the
talking. Better yet, behave in a way that will make the jury think twice if you
are capable of doing such a heinous crime.

The objective in a criminal trial is to cast reasonable doubt in the minds of
the jury so no matter how many witnesses are called to testify or what evidence
is presented, you have a good chance of getting a not guilty verdict. But if
things do not work out, then you can appeal the decision of the court.

You can avoid going to court if you decide to negotiate with the prosecution.
For instance, if there were other people involved in the crime, you can testify
against the others in exchange for immunity or a lesser charge. You should
consider this option if ever it is presented to you.

If the evidence is overwhelming, perhaps you should just plead guilty because
if you are convicted, some states will sentence you to face the death penalty.
Doing so will probably get you life imprisonment probably with no chance of
parole.

A criminal defense lawyer is the only person who will be able to help you if
ever you are charged with murder. It is only by cooperating with this person
that will prevent you from spending the rest of your days in prison.

A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Defend Against a Misdemeanor Charge

A misdemeanor isn't as heavy as other crimes but you can be charged for it and
this will become part of your permanent record. Fortunately, you can fight it
with the help of a criminal defense lawyer.

When you are charted with a misdemeanor, you are given a citation which states
the date and time that you will appear in court.

Do you have to see a lawyer? Some people do so immediately so they can be
guided throughout the process. For that, you have to hire one. Surely you can
get somebody because if you don't, a state appointed lawyer will be the one to
help you but they don't do that well compared to private counsel.

For you to quality a state appointed counsel, you will have to fill up a form.
You will also be required to reimburse the state for the legal services of the
public defender.

When you finally hire a lawyer, tell them what happened because only then will
they be able to figure out a strategy to help you out. For instance, your
lawyer can argue that illegal items that were found in your possession were
planted. If that is the case, during the arraignment proceedings, you will
enter a plea of not guilty.

What is the difference between a plea of guilty and not guilty? If you enter a
guilty plea, you give up the right to a trial since you admit to the crime.
However, when you plead not guilty, you will stand trial and the jury will
decide whether or not you are really guilty of the crime.

Here, the prosecution will be bringing in witnesses, police reports and the
evidence. Your criminal defense lawyer will have the chance here to dispute the
findings and if he or she is successful, reasonable doubt is achieved and your
chances of getting a not guilty verdict become higher.

Once the closing arguments are made, the jury will now deliberate. If you are
found to be not guilty, then you walk. But if you are guilty, then you will be
sentenced shortly which may mean paying a fine, spending some time in jail,
doing community service and placed on probation. You can appeal your case of
course which will be done by your criminal defense lawyer.

The objective in this proceeding is to get you a not guilty verdict so you
don't have to spend time in jail. However, if you are guilty and given the
option to make a deal, perhaps you should take it.

The process of facing a misdemeanor charge is the same even if you are below 18
years of age. The only difference is that a parent or guardian is also present
together with your lawyer when you have to face the judge.

Since being charged with a misdemeanor isn't that serious, some people decide
to represent themselves. If you decide to do this, make sure you are familiar
with the law and the procedures involved in your case because during trial, no
one will help you or advise you on what you should do. But if are not sure how
the legal process goes, why trouble yourself when you can hire a criminal
defense lawyer who does this for a living.

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