If you are under investigation or arrested for a particular crime, you may be wondering whether or not you need a lawyer. If you are even considering the thought, then you need to at least speak with an attorney. One of the main reasons people consult with attorneys is to find out whether they even need to hire one in the first place.
Even if you are innocent of criminal charges, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be found innocent. Unfortunately, many individuals are sentenced to years in prison for crimes that they didn’t commit because the police, prosecutors and jurors are either too quick to convict or too eager to get the case through the system in a timely manner. There is only one way to ensure that your rights under the law are fully protected and that is to hire an experienced lawyer. He or she will make sure that evidence in your favor is fully and fairly presented in court, and advise you on the proper protocol.
Police and prosecutors don’t necessarily give people the benefit of the doubt before filing charges. Don’t assume that you will be judged fairly or that the police will investigate all of the facts of their own accord. Any evidence proving your innocence in the case at hand should be investigated thoroughly and substantiated by your lawyer as soon as possible. He or she can then bring the evidence to the attention of the police and prosecution, and possibly convince them not to file the charges or drop the charges if they have already filed them.
Investigators of a crime don’t always come and speak to you first before filing charges. If they think that you will talk with them openly or that your statement will help solve their case, they might try to question you. But you should only speak to them after you have consulted with a lawyer.
As soon as criminal charges are filed against you, meet with legal counsel. Your lawyer will evaluate all of the evidence to determine whether or not the prosecution will be able to prove its case against you in court. Prosecutors can sometimes be mistaken about the strength of their evidence until they speak to the defense attorney. Once they know both sides of the story, they may lessen the charges against you or even drop the case altogether.
If the evidence against you is strong, a dismissal of charges in highly unlikely. Your lawyer can then best assess whether or not to take the case to trial or bargain a plea deal with the prosecution. This is where an experienced lawyer comes in handy. He or she can tell you whether or not you should go to trial. They can evaluate your chances of success and guide you through the legal process.
Don’t assume that you are innocent until proven guilty because, in some cases, you are often guilty until proven innocent. And only a lawyer can help persuade a jury otherwise.
