For most people, it can be very scary to be accused of committing a crime, particularly a crime that is classified as a felony. Frequently a prison term of at least one year is included in a felony crime if convicted. Numerous individuals, when they are considered a suspected and are questions about committing a crime, don’t realize they should call a criminal defense lawyer right away. In some cases, having an attorney involved in your case early on can make the difference tween whether or not you get formally charged.
There are several benefits to getting a criminal defense attorney hired as soon as possible after you are accused of a crime. To start with, it isn’t necessary for you to have been charged with a crime to get arrested. If certain conditions are met, there are a number of reasons why you might get arrested without being charged formally with a crime.
Whether you have been charged or not, you should hire a lawyer right away to ensure that your rights are kept protected. A majority of people don’t have the necessary knowledge to know whether or not our rights have been violated, however, your attorney will know. Your lawyer will immediately get involved and start examining your arrest record to determine whether your rights have been violated or not.
If you have been arrested already, your lawyer will assess the probable cause claim that has been made by the police officers. In certain cases, your lawyer might challenge this probable cause clam and could be successful in getting you released if the argument is agreed to by the prosecutor. In other cases, your lawyer will start to argue on your behalf to get your bail reduced. Upon arraignment, your lawyer and the prosecutor will discuss the possibility of a plea bargain if one is warranted for your individual situation, and your attorney will discuss the strengths and weakness of the case the prosecution has against you. That way you can agree on the best defense strategy to use.
When you hire a criminal defense lawyer early on in the process, it can help to reduce the chances of you ever going to trial, and it can give more time to your attorney to get your case prepared so that there is a greater chance of your trail reaching an acceptable conclusion if you do end up going to court. If you delay in getting an attorney hired, the lawyer might not be able to do a lot for you. It definitely makes a lot of sense to get an attorney hired right away so that your rights are protected.