You might be able to go through your entire life without needing a criminal defense lawyer. If so, that’s great. However, you may run into a situation at some point where you’ll need to hire one of these attorneys.
We can’t overemphasize the importance of a skilled criminal lawyer if you stand accused of a crime. Here are some of the most common situations where you will need to retain an attorney who has experience in criminal defense.
Someone Accuses You of Sexually Assaulting Them
Every day, people accuse other individuals of sexual assault. That does not necessarily mean they’re all guilty. It does sometimes happen that consensual sexual relations occur between two individuals, and then one of them regrets it later. They may accuse the other party of sexual assault, even if that didn’t actually happen.
If someone says you sexually assaulted them, though, the police must take that very seriously. When sexual assault occurs, the guilty party must pay a stiff price to dissuade them from ever doing it again.
If someone you know accuses you of sexual assault, you will need an excellent criminal defense lawyer, regardless of your guilt or innocence. They might be able to help you plead down to a lesser charge, or they may get you off the hook entirely if you protest that you’re innocent and the case goes to trial.
The Police Catch You with Illegal Drugs
You might also have a drug problem. It’s easy to judge someone who gets into trouble with drugs, but sometimes, a person will self-medicate with illegal substances for various reasons. They may do so because they’re hurting emotionally. Perhaps they will develop an addiction to prescription pain pills because they have an injury that gives them chronic pain and never heals.
Whatever your reason for having them, if the police catch you with illegal drugs, the court system will probably try to prosecute you to the fullest extent that the law allows. You need a criminal defense lawyer to frame your arrest in the best possible light for the judge. Unless the police catch you with a very large amount of drugs on you, your lawyer may be able to get you reduced charges that will result in a lighter sentence.
The Police Accuse You of a White-Collar Crime
The police might also arrest you if they suspect you committed a white-collar crime. Such crimes include fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and so forth.
If you did something illegal in the white-collar world, maybe you didn’t realize it. Perhaps you made an innocent mistake. If you did commit the crime that the police accused you of, then maybe you did it during a rough patch in your life. You made a mistake, but now, you feel contrite, and you’d like to pay the penalty for it and move on.
Your lawyer might get you a more lenient sentence. At the very least, they can help you to plead your case so that the judge doesn’t decide to make an example of you.
The Police Accuse You of Robbery or Burglary
You might also have a situation where the police say you committed a robbery or burglary. If that happens, maybe you resemble the person who really committed the crimes. Someone might pick you out of a lineup, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re guilty. Criminal identifications by witnesses don’t have anywhere close to a 100% accuracy rate.
In such instances, your criminal defense lawyer can help you to prove your alibi. Maybe they can come up with video or photographic evidence that suggests you couldn’t have committed that crime. You can establish your presence elsewhere during the time the robbery or burglary occurred. Your lawyer might also produce eyewitnesses who can back up your story.
These cases of mistaken identity happen far too often. The right criminal defense lawyer can make sure the legal system exonerates you. You can probably think of numerous other reasons why you might need a criminal defense lawyer.
Whether you committed the crime of which the police accused you or not, you need an attorney who can go into the courtroom with your best interest in mind. They can shoot straight with you if you ask them whether you should plead guilty. If you do decide to fight the charges against you, and the case goes to trial, then hopefully, they can get a jury to see things your way.
