If you have been charged with a crime, one of the decisions you face is whether to hire a criminal defense attorney, such as the attorneys at Tully Rinckey, or whether you should use a public defender for your case. Public defenders are often overworked and have many, many cases. As such, it is often to your benefit to hire a criminal defense attorney to help you with your criminal case. Here are a few of the ways that a criminal defense attorney can help you with your criminal case.
A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Ensure Your Rights Were Not Violated
One of the things that a criminal defense attorney can do to help you is to ensure your rights were not violated. You have many rights under the law. If a police officer conducted an illegal search, if you were not advised of your rights prior to being interrogated, or if you were illegally detained, an attorney is going to know it. They are then going to fight to get evidence thrown out, or all of the charges thrown out, if your rights were violated.
A Criminal Defense Attorney Assists With Bail Hearings
Another way that a criminal defense lawyer can help you is by assisting with your bail hearing. If bail is not set for you, or bail is set too high, a criminal attorney will request a bail hearing. At this hearing, the lawyer will argue why bail should be set for you or bail should be reduced. All in all, this is one of the most effective ways to help ensure you can bail out of jail while you are waiting for your trial to take place.
A Criminal Defense Lawyer Helps With Plea Deals
If you are guilty of the crime you are accused of, or the evidence is overwhelming, you may be willing to take a plea deal. A criminal defense attorney will help to negotiate the best possible plea deal for you, based on the type of crime you are being accused of. Plea deals can include pleading to a lesser charge, pleading guilty to one charge and having the other charges thrown out, or getting a reduced jail sentence in exchange for pleading guilty. A good attorney will let you know whether they think a plea deal is worth taking or not and why they feel that way.
A Criminal Defense Attorney Will Work to Come Up With a Defense For Your Case
If you and your criminal defense lawyer decide to take your case to trial, a good criminal defense attorney will work to come up with a defense for your case. The type of defense that is used can vary based on the crime you are charged with and the specifics of your case. However, a good lawyer will take a look at all of the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the case and then come up with a viable defense that the judge or jury is likely to consider. A great defense increases your chances of being found not guilty at trial.
A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can File Appeals If Needed
The last thing that a criminal defense attorney can help you with is filing an appeal. If you lose the case, you may wish to appeal. There are many reasons why an appeal may be filed. A good criminal defense attorney is going to know all of those reasons and will use those reasons as grounds to file an appeal. Depending on the type of appeal, you may be released from jail on bail while the appeal is pending.
If you have been charged with a crime, hiring a criminal defense lawyer is highly recommended. A criminal defense attorney can help you with many aspects of your case, including ensuring your rights were not violated, assisting with getting bail set, negotiating acceptable plea deals, coming up with defenses for your case, and if needed, filing appeals. There are many lawyers who can assist with criminal cases, including the Tully Rinckey law team. Reach out to a local criminal lawyer to get the help you deserve with your criminal case.
