When charged with a felony, trying to work it out without a Defense attorney will make you vulnerable to law enforcement and prosecutors. You might end up getting a longer sentence, and extreme penalties, as the prosecuting council is likely to take advantage of your ignorance of the law.
But when with a defense attorney, the case is different.
Reasons why you should hire a defense attorney?
Becoming a felon can deter your life, from getting long-term sentences to paying hefty bail and having a felony record that would affect you for a lifetime.
A defense attorney, however, can reduce the severity of all those to the barest minimum.
The following are some of the core actions taken by a defense attorney to dismiss your case or reduce the penalty.
Case Assessment
The Criminal defense attorney has an In-Depth understanding of the law, and with his experience, he can evaluate a case and say if you have chances of winning.
With his experience and learning, he can foretell the potential outcome of the case, considering the presiding Judge. So beforehand, he plans how the hearing would go.
In a situation where your chances of winning are low, he derives the best point of action which could be to negotiate with the prosecuting attorney towards reducing the sentence.
Deal Negotiation
A good defense attorney can be able to negotiate deals that would make your charges lighter, without having to go to a formal court.
He can go as far as leveraging on an undercover crime of the prosecuting counsel, for them to meet a compromise.
He could cut a deal to reduce your charges, reduce the bail, or even erase you of criminal records entirely, depending on his bargaining power.
A defense attorney is about how best to exonerate you.
Loopholes Sourcing
While the prosecutor aims to prove to the jury, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you're guilty of your charges, the defense attorney thrives to find Loopholes in the prosecutor's findings to create reasonable doubt that will deem you innocent.
These Loopholes may include;
● Errors while gathering evidence; most times, the proceedings law enforcement takes to obtain evidence are illegal, a good defense attorney can uncover this.
By doing so, he gets to eliminate the evidence, or even get your case dismissed, as the case may be.
● Stability of the witness; Another Loophole a defense attorney looks for is the stability of the prosecutor's witness. The entire statement of a witness can be rendered null if the witness is proven to be mentally unstable, or a person with low morals, or has a drinking problem.
Advice and Counseling
Most times we see detainees in movies, refusing to make any statement until their defense attorney arrives. And this is basic due process, in order not to say what would victimize you.
The defense attorney intimates you on how the defense would go and counsels you on what to do, where to go, what to say, and whom not to speak to, in order not to jeopardize the entire defense process.
As the defense council is looking for Loopholes, so is the prosecuting counsel, therefore every of your movement must be cross-checked by your attorney, in order not to give room for Loopholes.
He Gives The Defendant Confidence and Hope.
A good defense attorney doesn't only defend you before the jury but also defends you before yourself.
Most times, defendants lose confidence in their cases and begin to quiver, when the prosecution gets intense. This may lead to cutting detrimental deals with the prosecutor.
A good defense attorney gives reassurance to the defendant and makes him confident. Even when the best results are not being achieved, the defense attorney derives other ways to mitigate penalties and sentences, giving hope to the defendant.
Hiring The Right Defense Attorney.
Having understood the importance of a good defense attorney, your next move is finding the right attorney for your case, because that is the only way you can get optimal defense from a felony charge.
The following tips will guide you.
1. Always go for a reputable attorney, one with good reviews and expertise in that particular crime you're charged with. A criminal attorney is usually the right one.
2. He should be active and forthcoming. You could easily tell an inactive attorney in the way he and his team respond on initial contact. So go for a very responsive one because time is a very important factor when it comes to defense.
3. He should be familiar with the basics of criminal prosecution. He shouldn't need to research to give you head-on information on the possible penalties, and outcome of your charges.
4. The right attorney for you is one you bond well with. Some defense attorneys are unapproachable and intimidating, as a defendant the least of your worry should be communicating well with your attorney.
Therefore, hire the best attorney you're comfortable with.
5. And most importantly, the charges of the attorney should be flexible and apparent. The flexibility in payment will make it easy for you to relieve him of being your attorney if you notice any incompetence.
How To Get The Best From Your Defense Attorney.
True, a good defense attorney is equipped and resilient towards reducing the severity of your penalty to the barest minimum, but his effort could be futile without your cooperation.
The following Dos and Don'ts will make you get the best from your defense attorney.
● Dos
Always be honest with your defense attorney.
Follow every guideline given to you by him.
Try to provide substantial evidence, like documents and call records.
● Don'ts
Do not keep any detail from your defense attorney, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Do not involve in any dealings during the investigation without his consent.
Do not see or speak with anyone from the prosecuting council in his absence.
Avoid mindless communication about your case, no one can be trusted.
Stay out of trouble.
We've seen how a good defense attorney is imperial for a felony defendant.
So what? Getting charged with a felony isn't the end of the world, so do not give into damnation, when charged with one. No matter the severity of your case a defense attorney will do all it takes to reduce penalties and mitigate the impact of these charges on your future, because there is a future after a felony.
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