Obviously it matters significantly to the individual whether or not they are found guilty or innocent at court. However, their guilt or innocence really shouldn’t factor in to whether or not they hire professional legal counsel. In today’s blog, we explain why if you are arrested for a crime, you should hire a lawyer regardless of whether or not you actually committed the crime.
Why Do I Need A Lawyer If I’m Innocent?
If you’re innocent of the crime, you might be thinking that it will be easy enough to state your case before a judge or jury and have them reach the logical conclusion that you’re innocent. While that sounds great in theory, that’s rarely how it plays out in court if you try to go it alone.
For starters, judges and juries tend to believe the testimony of a police officer over that of an average citizen. That means that even if you’re telling the truth, if both parties make a strong case, oftentimes you’ll be found guilty if you don’t have the professional wherewithal to poke holes in the prosecution’s testimony. If multiple officers are on scene and can verify their version of events, your job only gets harder.
If you’re innocent, you also need to consider a lawyer because of what you stand to lose. Whether that’s your freedom, your job or just your hard earned cash, you need to realize what’s at stake with your case. Don’t chance it and try to win your case by yourself, because it can have serious consequences if you can’t make a strong case.
Also, if you’re innocent, it should make it that much easier to prove if you have a professional in your corner. They’ll be able to comb over all aspects of your case and the prosecution’s claims to highlight flaws and elevate your testimony above all else. Yes, there will be costs associated with hiring a lawyer, but oftentimes they pay for their services many times over by preventing all the potential sentences and consequences that come with a conviction.
Why Do I Need A Lawyer If I’m Guilty?
If you’re guilty, you may also think there’s no point to hiring a lawyer. Since you’re going to be convicted anyways, why add on the extra expense of a lawyer? That line of thinking is problematic for a number of reasons. For starters, there could have been a problem with how police handled the case or conducted the traffic stop. If your rights were violated during the arrest, it can lead to evidence being thrown out and dropped charges. You owe it to yourself to at least consult with a lawyer to see if they see any obvious challenges.
There’s also the prospect of using a lawyer to negotiate a deal with the other side. If you’re facing significant penalties, you may be able to work with your lawyer to connect with the prosecution and develop a plea deal that sees you plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a conviction. This can help you control some aspects of your sentence and avoid a worst case scenario in the event you’re found guilty and the judge throws the proverbial book at you.
Finally, you should consider hiring a lawyer if you’re guilty because they can at least go over your options and provide you with some sound advice. At Appelman Law Firm, we offer free initial case reviews where we sit down with prospective clients and go over their case. We can advise them on what steps they should take next on their own, or we can share how we’d be able to help if you took us on. We have no interest in taking cases that are clearly unwinnable, but many cases may not be as unwinnable as they may first appear. We’re here to provide guidance and advice. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain by talking with a lawyer at one of these strategy sessions, so don’t let your presumed guilt stop you from covering all your options.
To set up one of those sessions, or to talk with someone at our firm, click here or give us a call today at (952) 224-2277.
