In 2011 alone, there were over 12 million arrests made in the U.S. While not all of those arrests lead to formal charges being brought, a great many do. If you have been charged with a crime, where do you go from here?
Find a Good Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help with Pending Criminal Charges
If you have been charged with a criminal offense, the last thing you want to do is fight it alone. Even if you know you are guilty and plan on taking a plea, you will need someone with experience advising you. But finding a good criminal defense attorney is not always easy.
You need someone who not only has experience in criminal law – which is vitally important if you hope to successfully navigate the ins and outs and loopholes of your particular charge – but also someone who is familiar with the courthouse your case will be heard in. They should know the judges, lawyers and other court personnel that work there every day. Knowing the judges can tell a lawyer a lot about what they will be facing in a courtroom. The same goes for knowing other attorneys that frequent that courthouse, especially the prosecutors. A good defense attorney will know what kind of pleas the attorney prosecuting your case usually goes for, including whether or not that prosecutor is known for making deals at all.
An experienced defense attorney who knows the prosecutors that frequent the courthouse your case is in will also know how those prosecutors act in a trial situation and what their weaknesses are. This knowledge can give your attorney – and therefore you – an upper hand in your case, or at least it can give you a better idea of what your chances are of being acquitted.