Many of you have been asking recently whether or not a criminal defense lawyer is required when you have been charged with a crime, what they are able to do for their clients and at which point you should seek out such representation. To help answer this question we have enlisted the support of the miraculous David Serna attorney who specializes in criminal defense and a man who is widely considered to be the very best here in New Mexico. To kick off with, David says that the moment that you have been charge with a crime is when you should be seeking out a criminal defense attorney, and here is what they can provide for their clients.
Due Process
From the moment that someone is arrested, charged and brought before court, there are certain protocols which must be followed and some of these are very fine details which must be in place according to law. For example if a traffic officer charges you with a DUI, but they are not wearing the correct uniform, this is ground to have the whole case thrown out. A criminal defense lawyer will first look into all of these details to ensure that you have been treated well, and in accordance with the law.
Plea Deals and Negotiations
If someone is guilty then a plea deal is usually something which both judges and lawyers want to reach as it takes pressure off both parties. A plea deal means that cases can be resolved quickly which suits a court because of the backlog which most of them have, it suits the client because they want the ordeal over with as quickly as possible and it suits the criminal defense attorney because they will have got the best deal for their client. Criminal defense professionals know how to bargain like this, they know what they can offer and how to negotiate such a deal. This will usually involve pleading guilty to one aspect of the case for reduced jail time or perhaps even the prospect of avoiding jail time altogether.
Support and Advice
Beyond everything else this will be a difficult time for anyone who has been accused and it is very helpful to have someone on hand that they can go to for support and advice. Criminal defense lawyers know each part of the process so they will be on hand to allay any fears which you may have, and to give you advice on what to do and how to act.
Case Building
Lawyers who specialize in criminal defense have vast networks of contacts who they can call on to build a case. Whether it is gathering witness statements or looking for evidence they can do this with ease and with great speed. The key to beating a charge is to build a great case and thanks to the speed by which they can obtain evidence this is something which these lawyers specialize in.
