Imagine you were charged with a crime in Linwood, New Jersey. Conceivably, you could try to defend yourself against the charges without the assistance of a lawyer, but you would have a difficult time with it.
The prosecution will be working as hard as possible to convict you, and they will use a lot of techniques to increase the chances of a guilty verdict. Without proper training, you may not know what the best course of action for your criminal defense will be. This is why the law gives every criminal defendant the right to representation by a licensed attorney.
Here’s what a criminal defense lawyer will try to do for you
Depending on the nature of your charges, and the facts and circumstances surrounding them, your criminal defense lawyer might suggest different goals for your criminal proceedings. Here are four approaches that your lawyer might recommend:
Seek a reduction in criminal charges so that you are convicted of a lesser offense: This could be the difference between a felony conviction and a misdemeanor conviction, which results in less severe punishments.
Seek a reduction in punishments: This could involve a conviction of the same charge, but your lawyer might argue why you should receive only a warning or receive some other kind of reduction in the usual punishments.
Avoid a jail or prison sentence: In some cases, a criminal defense lawyer can prevent a defendant from going to prison or jail. The lawyer might be able to get his or her client a sentence of probation or community service in lieu of jail time, for example.
Develop a defense strategy to seek a verdict of not guilty: When the prosecution does not have enough evidence to warrant a conviction, your lawyer might suggest a criminal defense strategy that casts doubt on the prosecution’s version of the facts or points out some kind of procedural error that succeeds in obtaining a verdict of not guilty or getting the charges dropped or dismissed.
Were you accused of a crime in Linwood?
It’s important for criminal defendants to take their cases seriously from the beginning of their cases. By applying legal expertise to the problem of a criminal charge, many defendants can try to pursue a reduction in punishments, a verdict of not guilty or some other improved result during their criminal process.