| If you've been accused of a crime, it's likely you'll want | | | | lessen jail time or other punishment. This doesn't |
| to hire an attorney for criminal defense. There are | | | | always happen, but when it does, a plea could save |
| some times more than others where this is terribly | | | | you jail time and even felony charges. |
| important. The severity of the crime, your background | | | | - Prove your innocence, if you are, and alleviate any |
| or your innocence can really help determine how | | | | questions others might have in the future |
| important it is to hire an attorney for criminal defense | | | | - Find a technicality |
| over going with what the public defenders office | | | | When it comes to felonies, however, these can be |
| provides. | | | | very reaching. A felony check-writing disaster might be |
| Crimes come in two major classes: misdemeanor and | | | | considered less 'severe' in some books than a murder. |
| felony. A felony crime is the most serious class of | | | | If you've been charged with either, consider these |
| crime and it brings with it the distinction of staying on | | | | things before you break your bank trying to get off on |
| your record pretty much forever. If you've been | | | | the charge: |
| accused of a felony, getting an attorney for criminal | | | | - Your innocence. If you are, stop at nothing to prove it. |
| defense can be very important. The more adept your | | | | When a felony is in the works, the ramifications can |
| attorney for criminal defense is the more likely you are | | | | follow you for a lifetime. It's imperative to get the |
| to get a fair shake whether you're innocent or not. A | | | | charge dropped, thrown out or proven false. |
| good attorney for defense will argue in your favor and | | | | - Your ability to pay. A good attorney for criminal |
| fight for your cause. | | | | defense will work with you on this, but why pay out |
| Whether you're innocent or not, a good attorney for | | | | thousands of dollars if you know you're guilty and |
| criminal defense might be able to: | | | | there's no chance of getting the charges dropped or |
| - Get you off of the charge all together. This might not | | | | reduced? |
| always be possible depending on the circumstances of | | | | - Your background. If you've never been in trouble |
| the case, but if the charges are weak, a good | | | | before, but you're now facing a 'minor' charge, a good |
| defense lawyer might be able to see this through | | | | lawyer could be your best friend. A clean background |
| before a trial even happens. | | | | can be very helpful in getting charges mitigated. |
| - Get the charge's severity dropped based on | | | | No one wants to face the wrong side of the criminal |
| circumstances of the case. There are times when a | | | | system, but sometimes even the innocent do. Before |
| lesser charge is more appropriate based on the proof | | | | you decide whether to pay out lots of money for an |
| the prosecution is presenting and other mitigating | | | | attorney for criminal defense, carefully weigh your |
| circumstances. If, for example, you've been charged | | | | case and its circumstances. Sometimes a public |
| with a felony battery, but your defense lawyer can | | | | defender might be able to achieve what needs to be |
| prove you were pushed beyond human limits before | | | | done without strapping your budget. Other times, |
| you reacted, a lesser charge could be in order. | | | | nothing but the best available will do. |
| - Enable you to get a plea agreement that might | | | | |