The Many Hats that a Criminal Defense Attorney Wears

Dec 1
08:15

2011

Abraham Avotina

Abraham Avotina

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A serious crime necessitates the hiring of a criminal defense attorney. Do not even think about representing yourself. Here we look at the many jobs that a lawyer for the defense performs.

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If you have been charged with a crime,The Many Hats that a Criminal Defense Attorney Wears Articles then you are probably more frightened than you have ever felt in your life. This is particularly the case if you are facing a major penalty such as prison time. What you want and what you need is the best criminal defense attorney you can find who will be on your side fighting for your rights.

You should never try to cut corners and represent yourself in a court of law. Regardless of how smart or educated you are or how knowledgeable you are about the legal system, you should hire a lawyer to defend you. If you cannot afford to hire a criminal defense attorney then you will be appointed a public defender by the court. No one needs to worry about going it alone if they have been charged with a serious crime.

A criminal defense attorney wears many hats, which is to say that he performs many different functions for his client. He must become familiar with every aspect of the case that is presented before him in order to prepare the best defense possible for you. He must find witnesses and then call them to speak in defense of you. The prosecution will also present witnesses at the trial and the criminal defense attorney must cross-examine these witnesses in an effort to discredit their testimonies.

But that is only the beginning of what a defense lawyer does for his client. He must work closely with the prosecuting attorney to come up with a deal that is satisfactory to both sides. Referred to in the legal world as plea bargains, these deals have the potential of reducing the proposed sentence for the accused or doing away with some of the charges that have been levelled against the person. In some instances plea bargains are a possibility while in other cases a plea bargain arrangement cannot be reached and therefore the case proceeds to the trial stage.

It is the job of the criminal defense attorney to determine a sentencing program that is adequate if a guilty verdict is rendered. The lawyer for the defense can try to work the sentence in such a way that the accused does not end up getting tangled up with the criminal justice system again in the future. In other words he can help you to get a fresh start once you have done the requisite time that the judge has ordered.

You will be assailed with emotions during the entire process, both from the start when you are arrested and all through the trail, up to the final conclusion. A good defense lawyer can do everything possible to help you to cope with the emotions you are going through. At times you will feel angry, frustrated, sad, depressed, anxious and downright scared. You may also be embarrassed and your self-esteem may be very low. The lawyer you hire to represent you can do his part to see you through the bad times and can offer support, and encouragement. You in turn should be able to feel that you can talk to your attorney about what you are feeling.