When a person is arrested for a crime, it can be a very difficult time. Whether they are guilty of the crime or not, it is a good idea to hire a criminal lawyer in Rockwall, TX. There are several things that a lawyer can do for the individual that they may not be able to for themselves.
Realistic Assessment of the Case
Most people who are not lawyers don’t know much about criminal law. Because of this, they will not know how much trouble they are truly in. They won’t know how much jail time they are looking at, if any. A criminal lawyer in Rockwall, TX, will be able to give the individual a realistic assessment of their case.
Plea Bargains
Many criminal cases never make it to trial. The prosecution will often offer the arrested person a deal in exchange for pleading guilty. The deal works for both parties because it will save the prosecution the trouble of a trial and the person who was arrested will receive a lighter sentence. In order to get a plea deal, the person who was arrested would need the help of a criminal lawyer to iron out the terms of the deal.
Case Preparation
If the person who was arrested wants to take their case to trial, they would need a criminal lawyer to prepare the strongest case possible. The lawyer would use all of the information available regarding the arrest and the case. Police reports, witness statements, and several other pieces of information would need to be found and then used to build the case.
Case Representation
The best chance that anyone has of being found not guilty is to have a criminal lawyer in court to defend them. The individual’s lawyer would present their case, question witnesses for the individual and cross-examine witnesses for the prosecution. The lawyer would also make opening and closing arguments to get the jury to vote in their client’s favor.
If a person is arrested and needs the help of a lawyer, they should contact the Law Offices of Tim Hartley. For more information, visit this website.
