Hiring A Salt Lake City Criminal Defense Lawyer
Most people would never think that they would have to hire a criminal defense lawyer in Salt Lake City. However, what if you are falsely accused ? These kinds of things can easily happen in certain circumstances. It is a frustrating experience to say the least. No one ever anticipates having to spend hours searching online and meeting with numerous lawyers only to find out that they are inching closer to court dates with someone they are not confident in or trust.
Lets look at a real life example of what could happen. These are all instances of when you would need to hire a defense attorney to help you even though you may or may not have committed a crime.
The Disgruntled Revenge Employee. We all know that one employee that seems to come back with vengeful accusations when they don’t get their way. What happens when they claim you committed a crime? Let’s take a look.
Let’s say that you are in a middle management position for a successful company. Occasionally it is part of your job to discipline an employee of the same or opposite sex for something that is a break in policy or against the rules. The employee is in need of correction and while you have this person in your office you go over what the person needs to correct during a normal disciplinary meeting.
Later you find out that this employee accuses you of sexual misconduct while that person was in your office. You simply made the mistake of not having another person with you at the time which would have prevented such a charge from occurring. There is now a case of your word against the employee’s word.
Or imagine for a moment that you work for a retail company in an accounting position or some other financial capacity and money turns up missing, so you are accused of stealing or embezzling money.
These are situations where you are definitely going to need a good criminal defense attorney to keep you out of jail and to help you defend yourself for crimes in which you did not commit.
The reality of such a situation can be a devastating blow to your day, and of course the rest of your life if it is not handled properly. You need to hire a good Salt Lake City Criminal Defense Attorney, who really knows the laws. Someone who has a good working relationship with the District Attorney and Prosecutors and is well liked by the courts.
Many Ogden Criminal Defense Lawyers have worked in that field for quite a while and they may have even been former prosecutors. They will probably know and be on good terms with a good majority of the judges as well as the court personnel. A local criminal defense lawyer will also know the system locally and will be of great help in assisting you.
To really understand your individual case and circumstances more deeply, it is even more advantageous for you if you can find a criminal defense attorney who has worked previously or specialized in your type of crime. Attorneys are not a catch all. If you want to be adequately represented and have confidence in your defense it is better to have someone who knows how to defend your case.
Your Ogden Criminal Defense Lawyer will know and be aware of the type and the amount of evidence that will be needed to prove your guilt, as well as knowing what information you will need to prove that you are innocent.
In the example used previously where sexual misconduct is alleged, there are just two parties present in a closed door meeting. It boils down to one person’s word against another person’s word, and it is difficult to prove anything either way. However this is such a sensitive issue, the accused is almost assumed to be guilty. Character, previous behavior, criminal history, family relations, work history and a list of other things can be brought into court and used in your favor or against you.
Your attorney will know just how to handle such situations and will be able to bring information to the court after reviewing it with you. This is your defense. Your attorney is your mouthpiece to the court. It is important that they understand what you believe coupled with the evidence and what the opposing party is claiming.
Criminal charges are serious charges and if a person is guilty of criminal action, there are definite laws that provide for serious punishment even to the point of spending several years in prison. This is obviously a matter that can affect the rest of your life. It needs to be taken seriously by you and your attorney.
If you are guilty of a crime, your attorney can negotiate a lesser charge, plea bargain for a lesser sentence or present evidence that even if you are guilty, may place you in a position where the charges are dropped if the prosecution cannot present enough evidence to make the charge eligible. The position is different for each case.
When you are retaining the services of an Ogden Criminal Defense Attorney or a Salt Lake City Criminal Defense Lawyer, there are certain questions that you will want to ask and information that you will want to know.
Ask if the attorney has had any cases that are similar to what you are being charged with. You should also find out how much of the day to day work on your case your lawyer will personally handle. In other words, how much will he actually be personally involved with.
You should also ask how often he works for a plea bargain or asks for lesser charges. Find out what the fees are, how they are calculated, and is a payment plan offered? Also ask if the attorney will provide any references from clients who he has helped in the past.
Some attorneys will require an up-front retainer in order to start working on your case. Sometimes it may be beneficial for you to speak to several attorneys before you make your final choice, but it is advisable to go for quality, as this could directly affect how you live the rest of your life.
Hiring an attorney is an experience that no one is looking forward to. Just make sure that you take the time to ask a lot of questions and know that you are getting what you need and who you need to defend you.