Criminal Attorneys Aren't Just for Criminals

When Is The Right Time To Hire A Criminal Defense Lawyer?

by Eva Holmes

If you find yourself facing criminal charges you might wander when the right time to hire a criminal defense lawyer will be. It's a good question. It's also one that many people, from all social and economic groups find themselves asking at some point in their lives. If you're asking that question, the time is now. Here's why.

Avoid Accidental Self-Incrimination

Even if you are completely innocent of the crime in question, the law is vast. You could accidentally incriminate yourself in another, completely unrelated (not to mention obscure) crime that gives prosecutors leverage over you. Having a criminal defense lawyer present from the very beginning helps you avoid walking into traps, like accidental self-incrimination, that might prove difficult to dig your way out of.

A Criminal Defense Attorney Can Argue for Record Expungement

Whether or not your case ever goes to trial or you were ever convicted of a crime, the very record of your arrest can place your ability to get certain jobs, your ability to keep the job you have, and your social standing at risk.

Expungement removes all records of the arrest so that your name doesn't appear in criminal background checks, raise red flags during pre- and post-employment screenings, and live your life without the stigma associated with an arrest record. This is something that only a criminal defense lawyer can do and not something the average citizen can manage on your own behalf.

It will be as if you've never been arrested, which is what you are going for when you seek to have your records expunged.

Criminal Defense Lawyers Become Tireless Advocates on Your Behalf

The sooner they get to work planning your defense and strategizing about how best to address the charges levied against you, the sooner you can get back to living your life without this cloud hanging over your head. While not all criminal defense lawyers will win, hiring your own rather than dealing with a court-appointed criminal defense attorney can greatly increase the odds.

The earlier they begin planning, the faster they can get to work mounting your defense, lining up expert witnesses, identifying alternative theories to argue, and ripping the prosecution's case to shreds. More importantly, in some instances, they can keep you (and your name) out of court altogether with plea agreements or by negating all the evidence presented against you before the case goes to trial.

Don't delay. When facing criminal charges, the best time to hire a criminal defense lawyer is as soon as you learn about the charges you're facing. Visit a firm like Cohen Law Offices, LLC to learn more.

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