What are Criminal Defense Lawyers and 11 Reasons You Should Get One

Criminal defense lawyers, also known as criminal lawyers, criminal attorneys, and public defenders, are a type of lawyers that defend entities that have been charged with a crime, including individuals, organizations, and corporations.

The scope of their work spans the different crimes covered in the U.S. penal code and state laws which include, but are not limited to, drunk driving, theft, domestic violence, sex crimes, violent crimes, drug crimes, fraud, manslaughter, homicide, burglary, and embezzlement. Criminal lawyers will defend their clients against these charges in appellate, state, and federal courts.

Generally speaking, a criminal defense lawyer will strive to lessen his client’s charge or have it dismissed. On a deeper level, this is done by examining the evidence, investigating witnesses, researching relevant laws, building a defense, negotiating, proposing motions, among others.

If you are facing criminal charges, awaiting criminal trial, or expecting to be charged with a criminal offense soon, don’t hesitate to contact our criminal defense lawyers at the Chastaine Jones Criminal Defense Attorneys. Our attorneys are knowledgeable of the legal system and are committed to helping you build the best possible defense strategy against the criminal allegations thrown at you.

While it may seem unnecessary to spend the extra money on a specialized lawyer, here are 11 reasons why you should get a criminal defense lawyer to represent you in your case.

1. They understand the criminal justice system.

Of course, the first and foremost reason for hiring a criminal defense attorney for legal representation is that they know how the judicial court system works. Their training involves them meticulously studying the law so that they can apply it to real-world situations.

A criminal defense lawyer receives the basic training of any trial lawyer, but on top of that, he is further trained in dealing with the criminal court and the laws about criminal offenses. This means that getting a criminal law attorney allows you to be aware of the process and follow it to the dot. A criminal defense lawyer will also make sure that you don’t receive any more punishment or pay higher fees than you should.

2. They have prior legal experience with similar cases.

An attorney’s strongest weapon is not his law degree or legal educational background, but his extensive experience. A seasoned criminal defense lawyer will have dealt with and defended hundreds, if not thousands, of criminal cases, a couple of which will be very similar to yours. Through past wins and losses, their defending abilities will have been sharpened and they will know how to tackle not just any case, but your case, specifically.

3. They will explain the process to you.

On top of this knowledge of criminal law, criminal defense lawyers are useful to help you, the client, understand the process. A good lawyer will not only help you out with the legal process, but they also will make sure that you understand what is happening with your case.

4. They can assess law enforcement conduct.

Hearing how law enforcement routinely abuse their power is not new. Just because someone is guilty of something does not mean he no longer has rights. Our criminal defense attorneys are here to know your rights, uphold your rights, and protect your rights.

Moreover, if it can be proven that law enforcement displayed unlawful conduct, any evidence that was acquired through these unlawful means can be thrown out. This makes your case dismissal much more likely.

5. They will examine evidence better.

Your defense lawyer will be able to examine the evidence presented against you by the prosecutors better. There may be a lot of evidence pointing against you, but that’s okay if your lawyer will be able to see the holes and point them out. The volume of evidence is not worth much if your lawyer can question it.

6. They will handle all your paperwork.

Paperwork is always tedious, stressful, and lengthy. No one likes doing paperwork, especially if it’s very sensitive and concerning a criminal case. Fortunately, criminal lawyers know that it comes with the job and they fully embrace it. Having a criminal defense lawyer help you with paperwork means your paperwork will always be perfect and filed on time.

7. They will help you consider all your options.

Dealing with a court case is never a streamlined process- there are always many ways to go about things during the start of the case that will further branch out later into the case. A criminal attorney will start by telling you how you can start approaching things, they will also tell you about possible negotiation plans, types of criminal or felony charges that may be filed, and potential options for plea bargain deals.

They will help you take all of these options into account to be able to best fight for your case or negotiate potential outcomes that can reduce your charge or even have it completely dismissed.

Apart from advising you on approaches, they will also tell you about the possible outcomes that you should keep in mind. Our Gold River, CA criminal defense attorneys will be truthful and only tell you about realistic outcomes. For us, nothing is worse than misleading a client into thinking that he will be fine, only to have him end up somewhere worse.

8. They will discuss your case with the prosecutor.

Working on a case involves a lot of discussions and negotiating which can get heated. As your representative, an experienced criminal defense attorney will be able to keep calm and neutralize the situation. They are also familiar with the prosecution and the local judges which makes their negotiations skills much more effective and advantageous, all to your benefit

9. They will fight for your future

Criminal defense lawyers chose this line of work because they are deeply concerned and will fight for you and your future. Your lawyer will work as hard as he can to have the charges against you reduced or dismissed outright.

It is important to keep your criminal record spotless because any criminal conviction, whether a felony or a misdemeanor, will not be favorable for you when looking for a job. It may even make it harder for you to maintain your current job if your employer were to see your track record being tainted by felonies, misdemeanors, and other violations.

This essentially means that winning your case is more than just about being in the clear today, it is also to protect your future.

10. They can save you money.

It may seem like it doesn’t make sense, but studies show that investing more money into getting an experienced criminal lawyer saves you money. It might be heavier on your wallet now, but a good lawyer makes your odds of getting charged with more serious crimes less likely.

This way, you get to avoid paying hefty fines and doing jail time, which will cause you to miss work. On top of that, it lessens the risk of you losing your job or facing professional license suspension if you get charged with something serious. If you don’t get a criminal defense attorney, you may save on the professional fees for now, but it might cut off your income stream later on.

11. They have your back.

Of course, the most important aspect of being a lawyer is that they have your back. Lawyers are committed to their job because they treat it as their mission to protect the rights of their clients. Trial lawyers take it upon themselves to stand up for their clients, especially if their clients cannot.

If you have any questions about the criminal process or if you are in need of a trial attorney, don’t hesitate to contact our criminal defense lawyers at the Chastaine Jones Criminal Defense Attorneys, a Gold River, CA criminal defense law firm. Our experienced attorneys will tirelessly defend you using their extensive knowledge of criminal laws.