If you have been charged with a crime, you want an experienced Bakersfield lawyer on your side as quickly as possible. Your lawyer will play a key role in defending you, and you can always expect the outcome to be better with a lawyer than without one. Keep reading to learn a little bit about what your lawyer will do for you.
Protect You Immediately
As soon as you call for a lawyer, your lawyer starts protecting you. You can demand that your lawyer be present at every interaction you have with the police and the prosecutor office. Once you have invoked your right to representation, you don’t have to answer any questions unless your lawyer is present.
Investigate and Evaluate the Case
Without much experience, you won’t really know how to evaluate the case to understand the best strategy for tackling it. Your lawyer has the necessary skills and will put them to work right away to fully understand what you’re being charged with, what evidence there is, what the prosecution will have to prove, and how to fight back.
Ask for Dismissal or Charge Reduction (If Possible)
Depending on the case, it’s sometimes possible for a lawyer to persuade the prosecution either not to bring a case at all or to drastically reduce the charges. Once your lawyer has had a look at the evidence, they may be able to show the prosecution that there’s not a good chance they’ll be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty.
Challenge the Evidence
Just because something has been brought up as evidence against you doesn’t automatically mean that it can be used in court. If evidence was found because a search warrant was granted inappropriately, or if the search was illegal to begin with, that evidence could be inadmissible. Even if the prosecution has a witness, there may be things your lawyer can do to show that the witness is not reliable or may not have seen what they thought they saw.
Negotiate for a Plea (If Possible)
In some cases, the best outcome for everyone is a plea deal. This is where you may plead guilty to a lesser charge to avoid a greater one or plead guilty in exchange for the prosecution recommending something like a suspended sentence. You always want a lawyer on your side for negotiating a plea deal. These can be tricky, and you can expect the prosecution to attempt to give as little as possible while getting as much as possible. Your lawyer will protect you.
Represent You in Court and in Appeals
Finally, your lawyer will of course represent you in court and argue the case on your behalf. They will challenge the prosecution in a way design to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case with the goal of preventing them from proving beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty. If you are found guilty, your lawyer can continue to stand by your side if you file an appeal.
If you’ve been charged with a crime, don’t wait: contact us now at Humphrey & Thompson, Attorneys at Law in Bakersfield, CA. We’ll put our 50+ years of experience to work for you.
