Your Felony Lawyer Should Let You Know the Factors Affecting Your Punishment

If you have been charged with any felonies, know that there are a number of possible outcomes that may result. Your consequences often depend on whether you have a felony lawyer, as well as a few other details. If you want to get an idea of the penalties you are facing, you should consider some of the things that may factor in to your punishment.

One of the main aspects of the extent of your punishment is, of course, what your crime was. Think about the harm that was done. Armed robbery tends to get a more severe punishment than a car break-in, so be expecting different consequences for each crime. You can also choose your felony lawyer based on their specialty, as one who has dealt with the specific thing you are accused of is likely to understand the intricacies of this type of case better than someone who is used to defending other types of crimes.

Another major factor in your punishment is your criminal record. If your history is clean and this is your first offense, you will have a much better outcome than if it is riddled with past crimes. In particular, if you have done the same crime several times, you will probably be shown no mercy by the judge since it will seem like you have not learned from before. Of course, being on either probation or parole as a result of a past crime is particularly bad, as the consequences will be even more severe.

You should also find out the general attitude of your community when it comes to your actions. Some communities are more tolerant toward some crimes than others, as they may have a special task force to reduce certain occurrences. In some cases, this is because the same crimes tend to occur in their neighborhood and they are tired of it. In other cases, certain crimes seem particularly terrible to the community because they never thought it would happen there. Be sure to get a felony lawyer who is sensitive to the general attitude of certain occurrences in your community, as this can have a major impact on your punishment.

Finally, whether or not you used a weapon will be a major factor in your case. Armed robbery is treated much more seriously than robbery without a gun, knife, or other threatening device. You can get several more years of jail time added to your sentence just for brandishing a weapon, so keep this in mind when thinking of what to expect for your consequences. You will need an experienced attorney if your case involves weapons.

If you want the best outcome for your case, it is time to find a felony lawyer with years of experience winning cases similar to yours. Make sure the one you choose knows what your community will tolerate, and can deal with criminals with a history like yours. This is especially true if you used a weapon and were also out on parole or on probation when you did the deed.