Criminal Lawyer's Case Preparation

A criminal lawyer has a large responsibility of defending men and women accused of serious unlawful activity. These cases include allegations of violent crimes, drug crimes, white-collar healthcare, computer or financial crimes, and other illegal activities which include: burglary, hit and run, obstruction of justice or stalking. The client can face large fines of up to $100,000 dollars, incarceration up to 40 years or, at the very least, several years of probation with community service. The team consisting of the lawyer and the client face the obligation of creating an effective strategy for defending, disputing, or countering any evidence of the charges of the crime. These attorneys can also take on appeals or post-conviction relief for new clients that they did not defend initially.

When it comes to the first time in court with a new client, the criminal lawyer must use their time wisely by working quickly to gain all of the facts for their strategy of defense. The first step is to develop a relationship with their client that fosters complete honesty. The defendant, or client, can offer a denial story, which is when the attorney will have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt the negation of the charges; he or she can confess to the crime, which is when the attorney will have to present a plea; or, he or she can admit the action and explain their reasoning, which requires the attorney to align the facts of proof of justifiable action. The freedom of the client and his or her reputation thereafter is dependent upon the experience of the attorney and the whole truth being conveyed to the attorney by the defendant.

Once the criminal lawyer has learned all of the facts from their client, the must collect evidentiary support from the elements surrounding the case. They must accumulate samples, data, files, and photos from the scene of the crime, the prosecution's evidence as well as interview any witnesses thereabout. From the client interview and the evidence collected and documented, the criminal lawyer must be able to explain the truth or provide alibi of their client's whereabouts during the committing of the crime, fingerprints, their character, legal past, and association with the crime of which they are being accused. The attorney has to be prepared for the prosecutions strategy, for any witness's claims and with their own approach to defending their client to reduced if not illuminated punishment. They defend their clients with thorough preparation.