5 Benefits of Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney
Around 600,000 people enter the U.S. prison system every year. In many cases, people end up incarcerated because they didn’t have a good attorney working on their defense.
If you’ve been charged with a crime, you absolutely need to have a good criminal defense attorney fighting in your corner. So what are some of the biggest benefits of hiring an attorney to represent you and your case? This article lists five key ways that a criminal defense lawyer could help you out.
1. Knowledge of the Law
One of the main reasons you would hire a criminal defense attorney is because they have expert knowledge of the law. When you hire a defense attorney with a background in criminal law, you’re hiring someone with an intricate knowledge of the criminal justice system.
Of course, this will include all the various laws and procedures linked to your specific case. A good attorney will be able to use this knowledge to your advantage. For example, they might be able to find weaknesses in the prosecution’s case or a technicality you can use to your advantage.
Not only do good lawyers know all the details of their area of law, but they can also explain it to you succinctly and accurately. The law is incredibly complex, and if you’re involved in a criminal case, you might be confused about the charges against you.
A good criminal defense attorney can explain the case against you. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the case. For example, if you hire this criminal defense attorney, you’d be working with someone with intricate knowledge of criminal law.
2. Negotiation Skills
When it comes to criminal cases, negotiation skills are vital. Of course, it would be great if you could walk out of the courtroom without facing any kind of punishment, but in criminal cases, this is often unlikely.
In a situation where you’re guilty, a good criminal defense attorney will be able to negotiate with the prosecution. For example, you might agree to plead guilty and streamline the proceedings. Often doing so can help you to avoid going to prison.
While you may be facing a term in prison, a good attorney may be able to negotiate the sentence and get you community service instead. A good lawyer is also capable of evaluating the prosecution’s strategy and will adjust their strategy accordingly.
3. Courtroom Experience
Another way a skilled defense attorney can benefit you and your case is by bringing their courtroom experience to the table. There are a lot of rules, customs, and procedures in court. In order to argue your case effectively, an attorney will need to have extensive knowledge about how all these things work.
Even if you have the perfect evidence lined up to prove your innocence, you absolutely need someone with knowledge of court procedures to present it for you.
A good criminal defense attorney will also be skilled in correctly communicating with the judge and jury. Effective communication is important because many court cases often come down to how well an attorney can persuade the court.
A good lawyer will have enough experience to know their way around the courtroom and they will also be skilled in explaining the process to laymen. The last thing you want is to have no idea what’s going on in your own trial.
A good criminal defense attorney will guide you through every step of the court process. This means you’ll never be confused about what’s going on at a trial.
4. They Can Get You a Lower Sentence
If you’re guilty of a serious crime, there’s a good chance you’ll see the inside of a prison. In this case, you might think you don’t need a criminal defense attorney since you’re going to prison anyway.
The reality is that even if you’re guilty, a lawyer can still help you. In many cases, the courts will try to get the maximum possible sentence. A good attorney can almost always argue this down to a lighter sentence.
Not only could you spend less time in prison, but a good lawyer could also get you certain benefits. For instance, you might be able to do your sentence in a minimum security prison rather than a maximum security one.
In some cases, you might even manage to avoid going to prison at all. Your lawyer may be able to argue in favor of something like probation. No matter how bad the situation seems, a good lawyer can almost always make your situation better for you.
5. They Protect Your Rights
While the courts and the legal system are supposed to be neutral and just, in some cases, your right might be violated. For example, maybe you were arrested by a police officer who had no probable cause to pull your car over.
In this case, your constitutional rights may have been violated. A good lawyer knows exactly what your rights are and will fight for you to ensure your rights are not violated.
In many cases, you might not even realize your rights have been violated. The legal system is vast and complex, so rights violations may not be immediately apparent to the average person.
A criminal defense attorney will meticulously consider all the aspects of your case to ensure your rights have been properly respected. In some cases, a significant enough rights violation could have the case thrown out of court.
A Criminal Defense Attorney Can Make a Difference
If you’ve been charged with any kind of crime, you absolutely need to get the best criminal defense attorney you can afford. A good attorney will keep you informed at every step of the process and they will do everything they can to ensure you get the best possible outcome for your case.
If you want to learn more about some other topics relating to the law, check out the rest of our blog posts.
