If you have been charged with a crime, especially for the first time, you may have a number of questions and concerns running through your mind. Will I go to jail? What is the criminal process like? Will I need to hire a lawyer?
If you are facing criminal charges, your interests will best be served by working with a qualified attorney who can guide you through the criminal process and represent you in court. Due to the complexity and intricacy of criminal law, it is extremely difficult for a person to successfully handle their own criminal case – in fact, estimates of success rates range below 1%.
Here’s what a qualified attorney can do for you:
- Offer support. A good attorney can help their client cope with the stress, fear, and anxiety that often accompanies a criminal charge by providing the client with an objective and knowledgeable perspective on their situation. This includes explaining any possible legal defenses, what they can expect from the criminal process, and what is expected after a trial or conviction.
- Create a plan. A lawyer can come up with a strategic defense strategy tailored to your specific needs and goals. The right guidance often also helps defendants avoid future brushes with the criminal defense system.
- Gather evidence. Building a solid defense requires gathering evidence, completing legal research, talking to witnesses, and other complex, time-consuming research that a self-representing defendant likely won’t have time for. They can also put other resources to work for the defendant, including investigators who can contradict prosecution witnesses who attempt to change their stories.
- Negotiate a plea bargain. Depending on the situation, it may be possible for your attorney to negotiate a deal with prosecutors that may help you avoid maximum penalty. An individual attempting to represent themselves is not likely to be successful in this regard.
The ultimate goal of a criminal lawyer is to either have the defendant’s charge reduced to a lesser offense, lessen the severity of the punishment for the crime, minimize or eliminate jail time, or achieve a dismissal of the case. Without sound legal advice and guidance, it can be very difficult to achieve one of these outcomes.
Schedule a FREE Consultation with a Phoenix Criminal Defense Attorney
Being charged with any sort of crime, whether misdemeanor or felony, is a serious matter that requires serious representation. With your freedom potentially at stake, don’t risk the outcome of your case by failing to hire qualified legal counsel to represent you. At Suzuki Law Offices, L.L.C., we represent individuals who have been accused of a variety of crimes, including sex crimes, theft crimes, drug crimes, white collar crimes, DUI, violent crimes, and more. We have decades of experience handling criminal cases – check out our testimonials to see what clients are saying about our firm.
To schedule a consultation with a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer at Suzuki Law Offices, please call (602) 842-6762.