The roles of a criminal law attorney are quite innumerable, as they have to defend clients who have been charged with a number of crimes, ranging from assault to theft, robbery and even murder. Since these defendants are innocent until proven guilty, they will need some legal representation in court. If you find yourself faced with such charges, enlisting the services of a criminal law attorney would be pertinent if you would like a proper defense. Here are some of the different duties and roles that are expected of a criminal law attorney.
Collecting information about the case
When it comes to gathering information about your criminal case, it is not simply about collecting evidence that would give you an upper hand during your trial. Your criminal law attorney will have the necessary expertise to ensure that evidence that was gathered and processed correctly through the legal channels. In the event that anything was mishandled or evidence was tampered with, your criminal attorney will know how best to have this evidence excluded from the proceedings. The attorney can also have a sit down with the prosecutor to see if they can get the charges dropped or reduced depending on the amount of evidence that is against their client.
Getting all the facts straight
A criminal law attorney needs to know all the different angles to whichever case they will be representing. This may mean that the attorney will have to hire the services of a private detective so as to ensure that all grounds have been covered and all stones unturned.
Protecting their clients' rights
As aforementioned, every defendant is innocent until proven guilty. Just because there are some charges against you does not mean you have no rights. Your criminal law attorney is tasked with ensuring that your rights are protected as you wait to stand trial as well as during the trial itself.
Making the most of your court appearances
Your attorney is not simply tasked with representing you in court. They should also ensure that they are making the most when it comes to these appearances, whether it means trying to get your charges dropped or getting you out on bail as you await your trial.
Keeping you informed on all possible consequences
The main task of the criminal law attorney would be to get you a not guilty verdict. However, this is not the way that all cases go. Thus, the attorney should let you know about all possible punishments that you could get once the trial is done. The attorney may even advise you to plead guilty to a lesser crime so as to ensure that you do not get maximum sentencing for the crime that you have been charged with.
For more information and tips on your specific case, start contacting local criminal law attorneys.
