The criminal justice system is a very confusing and complex body of state and federal legislation
. For this reason, an average person will not have proper understanding of the criminal law or even the criminal process. If an individual is accused of a crime, he or she will need to have someone who is qualified to defend them in court or during the investigation. This will allow the accused to have proper court representation and avoid being convicted.
Any person has the right to represent himself/herself in court during a criminal procedure. However, the consequences of improper or poor legal representation can be huge. Failure to understand the criminal law is not enough to avoid being found guilty of the criminal charges. Since crimes may range from minor misdemeanor charges to serious felonies, it is very practical for the suspects to call upon the legal services of a criminal defense attorney. The criminal defense attorney is someone who is very knowledgeable about the criminal law and will defend the suspect on his or her behalf. The defense lawyer can even help convince the court to drop the criminal charges against their clients based on improper procedure or insufficient evidence. For instance, there are a lot of situations wherein the officer must have probable cause when making an arrest.. Probable cause is the reason to believe that the suspect have committed a crime. The criminal defense lawyer can show and convince the court that the officer did not have any probable cause to investigate the crime scene and make an arrest. If the attorney is successful, the charges filed against their client will be dropped.
The criminal defense lawyer will also help device a defense strategy when representing their clients in court. They will find any loopholes in the law and convince the court and the jury of their client's innocence. The defense lawyer will analyze the case and identify the strengths and weaknesses. If a person is unable to employ a defense lawyer due to the lack of funds, a public defense attorney will be provided for him or her.
The lawyer will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pleading guilty. This only occurs if there is an available plea bargain. The criminal defense attorney will help with the procedures of the case and ensure that the suspect will be properly represented in court.