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Seeking Counsel on General Legal Matters

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Seeking Counsel on General Legal Matters

Hello! My name is Marilyn Flynn. My husband and I have an attorney named Max. We are on a first name basis with Max because he’s our attorney that handles just about everything. I’m glad you stopped by my website. I hope to be able to explain why you and everyone should have a Max in your life. We didn’t understand the importance of having an attorney present for certain contracts; not until Max explained it to us. As our general attorney, Max has helped us to write and update our wills. He has put together our living wills, power of attorneys, and many other documents. As you age, you will find that you need to have your life in order. There will be new decisions to be made and some old documents that you may want to update. A trusted attorney is vital.

Arrested And Charged: Why You Can't Wait To Hire A Criminal Lawyer

12 July 2023
 Categories: , Blog

Being arrested and charged with a criminal offense is quite obviously an extremely worrying time—and for some, it can be just plain terrifying. It's important to act quickly. You may be hopeful of a speedy resolution in your favor, but it's important to balance your expectations with reality. Prosecutors do not tend to file charges unless they have a reasonable assumption that these charges can be proven. It's crucial for you to hire a criminal lawyer as early as possible.

Arraignment

From the very beginning, a qualified criminal lawyer will attempt to quickly bring the matter to a close. Depending on the severity and circumstances of charges, they may attempt to have the charges dropped at arraignment—where you appear before a judge and enter a plea (guilty or not guilty, or no contest). A merited argument that indicates the weakness of the charges can lead to the matter being dismissed. However, this may not be possible.

To Your Benefit

If charges are formally filed, an experienced criminal attorney will move to guide the impending trial to your benefit. This pertains to the cost and conditions of your bail, with your attorney attempting to prevent you from being remanded in custody until your trial date. Ideally your bail will be as unconditional as possible. Your attorney will also move quickly on information that can or can't be disclosed during the trial. You can expect them to quickly file any relevant motions, such as discovery—when the judge rules that the prosecution must provide requested pieces of evidence in their possession. Your attorney may then file a suppression motion, so that specific pieces of evidence can't be presented in open court, due to their argued irrelevance to proceedings. 

Plea Bargains

At any stage of the proceedings (depending on the outcome of discovery and any other relevant motions), your attorney may once again attempt to have charges dropped. This is always the preferred outcome, but an outright avoidance of trial is also favorable. This involves a plea bargain, where your attorney can successfully argue to have your charges reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. A plea deal generally comes with a penalty, but a far lesser one than might be applied if you're convicted of a felony.

The gravity of being charged with a criminal offense cannot be underestimated, and any such underestimation can severely affect you and your family. Upon being arrested and informed of the nature of the charges, contact a criminal lawyer without delay.