When someone has been charged with a criminal offense, unless they plead guilty immediately, they will have to go to trial in front of a judge. It is never recommended that anyone charged with an offense go to court without appropriate legal counsel. This is because the average person doesn’t usually understand all of the ins and outs surrounding the law, and they aren’t able to represent themselves in the best way. Having a lawyer can often help people get reduced sentences, and in many cases, have the convictions thrown out completely. A lawyer can do a lot of things that the average person is unable to do, and has many more resources available to help keep people from having criminal convictions ruin their lives.
One of the advantages of hiring a criminal defense attorney in Girardeau, MO is the fact that lawyers do a lot of investigative work. Not only do they look over all of the police investigations, they do their own investigations. They need to make sure that nothing has been overlooked that can help their clients, and can ask for delays if they need to do more work before proceeding with their cases.
Often, there are time limits for filing certain motions, and the average person is not usually aware of those time limits. Having a lawyer will ensure that everything is done when it is supposed to be, including finding witnesses, identifying exhibits, and more. Preparing for a trial involves understanding all aspects of the law including complicated legal terms and procedures. When someone is on trial for a criminal offense, they could be facing many years in jail, and they need to know that they have someone who is versed in the law to help them get the minimum sentence.
At trial, there will be opening statements, witness examinations, and closing arguments, all of which need to be prepared by a criminal defense attorney in Girardeau, MO. The sooner one gets legal representation, the sooner their cases can be prepared, and the lawyer can get right to work preparing the best defense to help their clients.
