Thinking About Representing Yourself For A Criminal Case? Three Reasons You Should Think Twice
Hiring an attorney is not always cheap. As such, some people are thinking about representing themselves if they have been charged with a crime, rather than hiring an attorney. When it comes to criminal law, this is not an area that you should attempt to cut corners on. An attorney can be a great resource, especially when your freedom is on the line. Here are a few of the reasons why you should think twice if you are thinking about representing yourself for a criminal case.
You May Not Understand What Needs to Be Proven In Order For Charges to Be Reduced or You to Be Found Not Guilty
One of the reasons why you should not represent yourself is because you may not understand the ins and outs of what needs to be proven in order for you to be found guilty of the charges that you are facing. Many times, attorneys are able to get the charges their defendants are facing reduced because they are able to talk with the prosecutor and bring up good points about not being able to prove the charges you are facing. For example, you may be charged with battery. However, battery is the charge of actually beating someone, whereas assault may be the perceived threat of beating someone. The charges may be reduced from battery to assault if there is no evidence of you striking someone. An attorney would know this, whereas you may not.
You Do Not Have Previous Experience When It Comes to Plea Deals For Your Case
Another reason why you should not defend yourself is that you do not know what types of plea deals are common, based on the types of charges with which you are charged. Criminal law attorneys work out plea deals with prosecutors every day. As such, they have a good idea just how low a prosecutor will go when it comes to plea bargaining. This can help you to get the best possible deal if you are guilty of a crime.
You Can Have Challenges Getting Experts to Testify
The final reason why you should think twice about representing yourself is that you do not have experts who you have previously worked with on stand by, ready to testify for you. Attorneys know who to turn to when they need help with a case. This can help them in fighting the evidence the prosecutor will put on, giving you the best chance at freedom.
If you have been charged with a crime, you should consider hiring a criminal law attorney. It is better that you contact an attorney as early on in the process as possible, as this provides them with time to talk to witnesses, time to develop a strategy, and time to really dig into your case. An attorney may not always be cheap, but losing your freedom and/or having to pay fines is not either. Contact a criminal law attorney today if you have been charged with a crime.