When you are accused of a criminal act, it can be the scariest time of your life. You can feel like your life is out of your control and that no one believes you. It’s a difficult time, and you need help.
While you might feel like your innocence should be enough to get your name cleared and let you move on with your life, sadly that is not how the law works. You are innocent until proven guilty, but the prosecution is working on their case to prove you guilty. You need to be working on yours to prove your innocence.
That is where a criminal defense attorney can help you. If you are on trial for a criminal act, whether you are innocent or guilty of it, your defense attorney can be your best friend during this time.
When you hire an attorney, their job is to look out for your best interests and protect your rights. To do this, a good criminal defense lawyer will do the following three things:
Thoroughly investigate the charges that you are facing
Your lawyer has access to places, people and documents that you likely do not. They will visit the scene of the alleged crime, track down and interview witnesses, and review documents and official reports to find holes in the evidence.
The prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of the crime. Your lawyer’s job is to find the gaps in that proof, look for inconsistencies, and plant seeds of reasonable doubt in the case of the prosecution.
Verify that all laws and procedures were followed to the letter
This means everything from the initial police officers’ conduct to anything that might violate your constitutional rights. You may not be an expert in your rights, but this criminal lawyer and any expert criminal lawyer that you hire should know them inside and out.
If any aspect of how your case was handled was in any way a violation of your rights, your attorney should be able to make a formal request to the judge to throw out any evidence that was unlawfully obtained and defend you against any other potential violations.
Help you develop your defense and represent you during your case
From helping you find your alibi to disputing the prosecutor’s potential claims, your lawyer should be helping you mount a defense for your actions.
They will then take this defense to trial and represent you as your advocate in the courtroom. This involves carefully selecting the jury, cross-examining witnesses, presenting your defense on your behalf, and objecting to anything that is improperly expressed by the prosecution or witnesses.
Your Criminal Attorney is Your Best Defense
These are some of the most important ways that your lawyer will help you during this stressful time in your life, but there are many other behaviors that will also benefit you.
If you have been accused of a criminal act, contact an expert attorney that specializes in this field to protect your rights and get your defense built starting today.
