Expert Legal Representation for Your Case: Criminal Defense Strategies

You’ve just been charged with a crime. The shock is hard to describe. You don’t know what to do or who to turn to. You probably feel betrayed by someone you care about.

The criminal justice system is a complex machine that grinds up people’s lives. If you don’t have a plan to defend yourself, you can become a victim no matter how innocent you are.

But there is a good news…

It is possible to defend yourself and win the case. To do this, you need to use proven defense strategies and hire experienced legal protection to guide you through the process.

If you want to get comprehensive information about the strategies of criminal defense and understand how to protect your rights, read this article to the end!

Table of Contents

1. Why Criminal Defense Is More Important Than You May Think
2. The Most Powerful Defense Strategies of Today
3. How to Find the Right Lawyer
4. How to Build a Defense
5. FAQs
6. Conclusion

Why Criminal Defense Is More Important Than You May Think

Defense in criminal proceedings is a set of procedural steps that a person suspected or accused of committing a crime can take from the very moment of its initiation until the end of the proceedings.

There are many reasons to take defense seriously, but here are the main reasons:

• Statistically, as is noted in the Pew Research survey, about 98% of criminal cases end in a guilty plea, while only 2% go to trial. In addition, the majority of those who do go to trial are found guilty.

If you analyze this data, it becomes clear why it is very important to think over your defense in advance.

• Inadequate defense can turn your life upside down. The mere presence of a criminal record can negatively affect your career, housing, and even personal life.

That is why it is so important to learn and use various defense strategies in criminal proceedings.

The Most Powerful Defense Strategies of Today

The great variety of criminal charges and circumstances of their commission makes it impossible to single out a limited list of strategies. However, there are most powerful defense strategies, which may become useful for your case:

• Violation of constitutional rights and freedoms. When conducting investigative and other procedural actions, the police have to follow a clear and exhaustive list of rules. If the officials do not observe them, you can protect yourself from the violation of your constitutional rights, challenging the admissibility of evidence in court.
• Insufficient evidence. In most cases, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, which means that they are the ones who have to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This is extremely difficult, so the skillful use of the rules of evidence during the examination and defense will help you in the future.
• Affirmative defenses. With this strategy, it is usually admitted that the accused committed the act that the prosecution is talking about. However, it is argued that he or she was not guilty because of extenuating circumstances or other legally significant reasons. This approach is also useful in self-defense or defense of others.
• Plea bargaining. This strategy may become useful if the judge has enough evidence against you. This is a negotiation with the prosecution in order to obtain the most lenient verdict from the judge. This bargaining is useful if the court is aware of an abundance of evidence against the defendant.

How to Find the Right Lawyer

The sooner you find a criminal defense lawyer who can help you with the development of the best strategy, the better it will be for you.

To find the right lawyer, you need to consider such factors:

• The experience of a potential lawyer in handling cases similar to yours
• The number of lawyers and other employees who work in the law office, since protecting your rights requires a dedicated legal team
• How a defense attorney contacts a potential client and then interacts with him or her during the process of defense
• Jurisdiction of the law office and the personal knowledge of a lawyer in this area

How to Build a Defense

Suppose you have already decided on the defense attorney and he or she has accepted you as a client. In that case, you can start thinking about the defense plan.

The most popular stages of building a plan are the following:

• Analysis of the materials collected by the police and the prosecutor’s office
• Investigation. The main stages of this strategy are a client interview, investigation and analysis of materials collected by the prosecution, and exploration of opportunities for a fair resolution.
• Pre-trial motions. These motions include the exclusion of evidence, dismissal of charges, and ensuring full access to the materials collected by the prosecution.
• Strategy. The main goal of the lawyer at this stage is to study all the evidence and determine the most effective approach for each individual case.
• Execution of the plan. This stage may include the first three stages of the strategy, since it is implemented either in a trial court or in the course of negotiations with the prosecution.

FAQs

What to Do After the Arrest?

The very first step after being arrested is to call a defense attorney and not talk to the police or the prosecutor before they come.

Tell everything to your lawyer because he or she will defend your interests. But, during the investigation, no one is allowed to incriminate you, so keep quiet.

How Long Does a Criminal Case Last?

The answer to this question will depend on the nature of the crime with which you are charged.

Minor misdemeanors may take weeks, and serious felonies may take years to reach a trial.

May the Charges Be Dropped?

Yes, the prosecutor can drop the charges before the start of the trial. This can happen if the prosecution has insufficient evidence to prove your guilt, a key witness is no longer available to testify, or if the police have violated the rules of investigation.

Conclusion

Criminal defense is a long and often very complicated process, but it is not impossible.

As long as you use the proven strategies and work with a qualified defense attorney, you will protect yourself and your rights to the maximum extent.

Do not waste time and start today.