If you have been accused of a crime, you need a lawyer. When you are charged with a crime, you are at risk of not only having a criminal conviction on your record, but you are also in jeopardy of losing certain rights, freedoms, and opportunities. Even if you are not convicted, simply being charged with a crime can impact everything from your education to your housing options and even your employment opportunities for a very long time. Therefore, if you know that you are innocent, it is especially important to have an experienced criminal defense attorney on your team, fighting to protect you from the consequences that come with crime.
You must avoid being convicted for a crime that you did not commit. Jail time, drug tests, probation, and the other consequences of criminal convictions are expensive, and can keep you from family, cost you your job, your home, your education, and of course none of these consequences are exactly pleasant, positive life experiences. If you are innocent of the criminal charges brought against you, you will not be interested in engaging in any kind of plea-bargaining discussions with the prosecutor. Unlike individuals who get caught engaging in criminal activity and seek the least severe consequences possible, you are innocent and therefore, want to avoid all consequences. While the best possible scenario will be to have the charges dropped quickly, you may have to proceed to trial to prove your innocence.
Whether you are seeking to have the charges dropped immediately or must stand trial in pursuit of a not guilty verdict, you need an attorney who is knowledgeable about criminal law, and who understands what kind of evidence is needed to prove your innocence and disprove the State’s case against you. An experienced defense attorney will know what to look for, who to question, and will support you with a strategic defense to prove to the court that you are not guilty of the charged crime.
Yes, you have the right to represent yourself. But, you also have the right to an attorney – even if you cannot afford an attorney, it is so important to your freedom and your future that you have adequate legal representation, that the State will pay for you to have an attorney. Too often, there are stories in the news about someone who was convicted and incarcerated for years for a crime they did not commit. If you are innocent, do not take that chance with your freedom. Make sure you have a strong, diligent defense attorney with a proven record, in your corner, fighting for you.
