A criminal defense attorney takes care of a range of critical aspects during a criminal lawsuit. He or she is responsible for defending the alleged perpetrator or suspect, and speaking on their behalf.
Criminal defense lawyers represent those who are prosecuted with criminal offenses in court. Crimes may vary in seriousness from a misdemeanor to a felony, with punishment ranging from community service or minor fine to imprisonment and even death.
Legal representation in a criminal case is vital for those accused of committing an offense. The criminal justice system in the US presumes that the charged individual is innocent until proven guilty. It also promises that all citizens accused of a crime will be represented in court by an attorney. If the charged person cannot afford to pay for his or her defense lawyer, the court will assign a public defender to take care of their case. The responsibility of both public and private defense lawyer is the same – the most significant difference is the quality of service rendered.
Here is a list of things that a criminal defense attorney does:
Handles pre-trial cases
Attorneys from the Colorado Legal Defense Group can help Colorado clients throughout the criminal justice process, even pre-trial. Some individuals retain a criminal defense attorney during the investigation phase of the crime before they are accused. This is often true when a person is a suspect and has reason to believe sooner than later; they will be charged. Under these circumstances, a criminal defense attorney may help guide the person as they are questioned by authorities to make sure they don’t offer any incriminating information. If you have questions or concerns about existing or potential legal charges being leveraged against you, contact an attorney near you to discuss your case.
Convince the court to drop the charges
These lawyers can also help convince the judges to drop the case against their client based on improper procedure or insufficient evidence. For instance, in most cases, an officer needs to have probable cause (or compelling reason to believe that the suspect has done an offense) before they can make an arrest. Defense lawyers have an incredible understanding of probable cause and may be able to challenge the reasoning of officers in court. If they can prove that the officer did not have probable cause to inspect the crime scene in question and execute an arrest, then the charges against the accused may be dropped before the trials even start.
Persuade the court to reduce or waive bail
Bail is the money that an accused needs to provide to the court to ensure that they will show up for trial. A criminal defense attorney can try to convince the court to lower the bail or waive it entirely.
Serve as an advocate
The defense attorney is the primary advocate for a charged individual; he or she will act on behalf of the accused in all ways possible, from providing legal advice regarding the best course of action to making sure that their rights aren’t violated. The attorney will also be there to educate the client throughout the entire process. If the defendant is guilty as charged, the defense lawyer gets ready for sentencing and presents evidence that will help their clients get a lighter sentence.
