Prepare for Trial by Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer
Do not represent yourself when you can hire a criminal defense lawyer who knows what they are doing. If you have been charged with a crime, your entire future is on the line. A conviction will influence you and your family. You may be sent to jail, forced to pay a fine, and have a criminal record that can haunt you when trying to get a job or rent a home. To protect yourself and have the best chance for a successful outcome, you need a lawyer with knowledge of the criminal justice system on your side. We encourage you to schedule a consultation with our office to discuss your case and how to prepare for trial. In the meantime, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
Will I make a good witness?
It is sometimes wise to take the stand and to give testimony about why you are innocent. Whether or not you should, however, often depends on your temperament and how well you do under pressure. Many people take the stand and crumble when asked questions. Nervousness can be perceived as guilt, so if you are afraid that you will be terribly nervous, let us know and we may not put you on the stand.
Was there anyone who saw the crime being committed?
If there are any potential witnesses, we will want to interview them as your criminal defense lawyer. Very often, witnesses saw something, but they cannot be certain that they saw you or that they saw the crime being committed. In other situations, a witness may be able to recount what happened and that you were part of a group, not necessarily the one who actually committed the crime. Their testimony may also indicate that it was a crime of passion, not calculated or thought-out. Let us know about any potential witnesses you can think of, and we will interview them and may or may not subpoena them to appear in court.
Were you somewhere else at the time?
If you have an alibi, this is excellent news. As a criminal defense lawyer, we can gather the evidence necessary to place you in a different location for the day and time the crime was committed. This is your best defense. If you were with someone at the time of the crime, we want to know so we can subpoena them. However, an alibi does not have to be a person. It could be receipts, video footage from a gas station, etc. Once you tell us where you were, we can investigate the situation and identify any evidence that could be used to confirm your alibi.
Do you want a plea bargain?
If you have committed the crime and are concerned about the consequences, you may want to take a plea deal. This is where you agree to accept a lesser conviction and predetermined penalty, rather than risking not knowing what the outcome of the trail will be. We can represent you under both circumstances and will follow your direction regarding whether or not you want your case to go to trial.