We have been inundated since our last article about criminal defense attorneys with questions about whether or not it is necessary to hire a criminal defense lawyer if you have been charged with something, and other questions asking what specifically these men and women can do for you. To get to the heart of the issue we have caught up with David Serna lawyer extraordinaire and a man who is widely considered as the best criminal defense specialist in the state of New Mexico. David shared some great information with us in relation to these questions so hopefully this will clear up any doubts which you may have.
Do I Need a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
David was unequivocal with his answer here and says that you most definitely need a criminal defense lawyer if you have been charged with a crime. In terms of when you should be looking to hire a lawyer, David says that the moment that you are charged with a crime you should be asking for legal representation and seeking a criminal defense attorney.
Now let’s have a look at what these professionals are able to do for you.
Ensuring Everything is in Order
When you are charged with a crime the police have to follow highly specialized details in terms of when and how you are arrested and who by, they must respect your human rights, they should follow the letter of the law throughout this entire process. General members of the public of course have no idea what these requirements are and so the first job a criminal defense lawyer will do for you is to ensure that everything has been done properly in terms of your arrest and your charges, as well as how you have been treated.
Plea Deals
When the defendant is guilty then the optimum solution for courts, judges, clients and lawyers is a plea deal. A criminal defense lawyer knows exactly what they can ask for and how to negotiate a deal for their client. This suits the judge because the courts are so full up, it suits the attorney because the case can have a line drawn under it sooner rather than later and it will certainly suit the client who can plead guilty to lesser charges for a lesser punishment.
Support
Unless someone is a seasoned criminal this will be a very difficult time for anyone who has been accused of a crime and when you are locked up and awaiting trial there are very few people who you can rely on for help and support. This is another role which a criminal defense attorney will play and they will be on hand to answer any questions and to offer advice about what to say, what to expect and how to act in the lead up to your court date.
If you have been charged with any crime at all, get yourself a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.