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Criminal lawyers may not always be portrayed in the most flattering light, but America’s justice system states a person is innocent until proven guilty. Without qualified Baytown criminal lawyers, it would be impossible for those accused of a crime to get a fair trial. Defense attorneys are an important part of the justice system. Here are some facts you may or may not have known about the role of criminal lawyers. Criminal Lawyers Protect their Clients’ Rights Anyone accused of a crime has certain rights granted to them by the United States Constitution. When these rights are dismissed or violated, the justice system cannot work as it was decided and the accused may end up facing unfair penalties that may include prison time. Hiring a criminal lawyer ensures that you receive the following: - A trial by a jury compromised of peers
- The presumption of innocence until you are proven guilty
- A speedy trial
- A public trial
- The right to exercise your 5th amendment so as not to incriminate yourself while being questioned in custody or on the stand in a court of law
To win their case, some prosecutors may overstep the boundaries of the law. Without a criminal defense attorney watching out for you, pushing these boundaries can result in an unlawful conviction. Addressing concerns like these during a trial is much easier than addressing them through the appeals process in an appellate court. Criminal Lawyers Protect the Innocent With more and more cases popping up in the news shining the light on the wrongly convicted, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of a criminal lawyer's most important tasks is to defend the innocent. Not everyone convicted of a crime is guilty. Poor investigating skills by inept investigators, bad witness testimony, and flawed evidence collection are just 3 examples of ways that the innocent are sometimes accused of a crime. The burden of proof is always on the prosecution, but it is up to the criminal defense lawyer to make the prosecutor work to prove their case. Criminal Lawyers Defend the Guilty Guilty people deserve representation too. It can be hard for the general public to accept that criminals who are clearly guilty--that is those who were caught red-handed--deserve a defense, but they do. Without this defense, it is possible that criminals may end up getting sentences that do not match the crime. These types of sentencing errors lead to overcrowding in prisons and it can also encourage prosecutorial abuse of power. Criminal defense lawyers that defend the guilty keep everyone involved in the trial process honest. Hiring a Competent Criminal Defense Lawyer Not all criminal lawyers are the same and understanding the distinction can mean the difference between freedom and incarceration. Before you hire a criminal lawyer, it’s important to understand what crime you are being accused of. Hiring an attorney without the experience to handle a case like yours can be as detrimental to your case as representing yourself. Some criminal lawyers are better suited for handling misdemeanors while others have the experience and legal team to deal with high-profile felony cases. For example, if you were arrested for embezzlement and securities crimes, you wouldn’t want to hire a DWI lawyer. Whether you’ve already been arrested, or you’re being investigated for a crime and suspect your arrest is imminent, find a lawyer now. You can get referrals for Baytown criminal lawyers by looking online, in the phonebook, contacting friends and family, or by calling the state bar association. No matter how you're referred to a particular lawyer, make sure you vet the person thoroughly to ensure that you get the defense you deserve.
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