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