Hire a Criminal Attorney

Why Hire a Criminal Attorney

By Joseph G Cleary

A person facing a criminal charge, regardless of how minor, will greatly benefit from consulting with a competent criminal attorney to map out or plan a defensive strategy. While money or property may be involved in a civil court case, a suspect for a criminal offense is in danger of losing his fundamental freedom.

Thus, it is imperative that you act quickly to defend your rights by contacting a reputable criminal defense attorney who has experience in successfully defending clients in various criminal cases. Only an experienced lawyer specializing on criminal defense can easily identify vital pre-trial issues and prepare the appropriate motions that can considerably help in your defense.

Compared to civil law that involves cases between two or more private parties or individuals, a criminal case involves the prosecution of a defendant by the federal or state government. It is therefore very important that the criminal attorney you hire has the experience and is well-versed on the criminal laws of the state that has jurisdiction of your case.

A conviction for a criminal act carries with it dire consequences. For one, it will remain in your criminal record for a long time. Your chances for employment as well as for education will be limited. Of course, you cannot discount the social stigma that comes with being labeled as a convicted criminal.

In general, criminal acts are categorized as:

Misdemeanors - These are less grave offenses that are usually punishable by a fine. Examples of misdemeanors are petty cases of theft, possession of a small amount of an illegal substance, and certain traffic violations.

Felonies - These are the more serious offenses like homicide or murder, rape, assault with a deadly weapon, and grand theft. Conviction for a felony warrants imprisonment of at least one year.

One other major distinction between civil law and criminal law is the standard proof that the law requires to be presented. In a civil case, the plaintiff must prove by at least 51% that the defendant is the party responsible for the injuries that the plaintiff sustained. On the other hand, in a criminal case, the prosecutor must be able to show, beyond reasonable doubt, that the suspect for the crime actually committed the crime.

The standard in criminal law is a lot higher than what is observed in civil law. Thus, the expert and hands on representation of a competent criminal attorney is required for your successful defense if you are suspected to have committed a criminal act.

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