If you have been arrested for a crime, you have the right to an attorney. However, many people don’t take advantage of this right, either in the hopes of saving money or because they believe a court appointed lawyer will be sufficient. It is in your best interest to seek the legal advocacy of an experienced and skilled criminal defense attorney if you are charged with a crime. Our firm has compiled a list of five reasons why you should reconsider passing on help if you are facing legal penalties.
Top 5 Reasons to Hire a Defense Attorney
- Experience within the complex legal system – when you hire a criminal defense lawyer to represent you, you are not just paying for a person to speak on your behalf; you are paying for years and years of legal experience and know-how. The legal system is incredibly complex, with many fine details and intricacies that can affect your case. When you are facing penalties that can change your whole life, you want to ensure that someone who knows what they are doing is going to bat for you.
- History and relationships within the legal community – Attorneys, especially lawyers that have been working for years, tend to develop relationships with people within the court system. That means that your lawyer could not only know the judge that will handle your case, but also the prosecutor that will be opposing you. Having knowledge and foresight as to what to expect from the other parties involved could be detrimental to your case. These relationships could also come in handy as far as reducing sentences and plea bargains.
- Protection and damage control – The prosecution needs evidence in order to convict you and, unfortunately, the police are skilled at getting defendants to reveal information without them even realizing it. A criminal defense lawyer can help guide you when answering questions and make sure you don’t say anything that could hurt your case later on. Even if you have already spoken with the police, a seasoned criminal defense lawyer can have information suppressed or make it less damaging.
- A fresh perspective can be the right perspective – Often times, being arrested for a crime is incredibly stressful or emotional. Retaining an attorney to represent your case means that your case will be handled by someone who is looking at it with fresh and logical eyes. An objective view point can easily determine which details will be important to a case. Often times these details are something that a person who is too close to the case would have never thought of.
- Even the smallest cases have major consequences – Many people don’t fully understand the implications that their small infractions can have. For instance, even a ticket for texting while driving subjects an individual to numerous fines and penalties, including strikes on a driving record and increased insurance costs. If you have been charged of a crime or given a ticket, discussing the matter with a defense lawyer in a case evaluation can help you get a better understanding of what you might be facing.
If you have been arrested, contact The Castillo Law Office. Our criminal defense attorney serves Hayward, Oakland, San Leandro, and Alameda County. Call (510) 894-6626 today!