| Life as a criminal defense lawyer is not easy when | | | | capable of doing the crime. Using expert witnesses of |
| your job is basically to help those who are arrested | | | | your own is also helpful since they can dispute the |
| of a crime. While some of the clients you meet are | | | | claims of the other camp. |
| innocent, many of them are guilty and have had | | | | Before the jury will reach its verdict, you will have |
| previous run-ins with the law. | | | | one last chance to state your client's innocence when |
| Since the law dictates that everyone is innocent until | | | | you are given the opportunity for your closing |
| proven guilty and you decided to specialize in this | | | | argument. When it is all over, you just have to wait |
| field, you have to defend this person by putting up | | | | for the decision of the court to take the next course |
| the best defense there is available. | | | | of action. |
| There are various strategies you can use to get your | | | | Your client's not guilty verdict means your job is done |
| client off. You can plead insanity or claim that | | | | and you can move on and work with another client. |
| someone else did the crime. If your client has | | | | A guilty verdict means you have to stay on as |
| something to offer, you can make a deal with the | | | | counsel for this individual and appeal the jury's |
| district attorney in exchange for the client being | | | | decision to a higher court so you can perhaps get a |
| granted immunity. | | | | reversal. |
| But before you decide what cards to play, you have | | | | The best way to win an appeal is to determine if |
| to talk to your client. If this person is in jail, you have | | | | there is something in the trial that shouldn't have |
| to go there and ask what happened. You should | | | | happened or was overlooked. These technicalities are |
| already discuss whether to enter a guilty or not guilty | | | | better known as constitutional protections. For |
| plea because your client will be arraigned shortly. | | | | instance, the client's confession was taken without |
| When a trial date has been set, you can get a copy | | | | the presence of a lawyer so whatever they said is |
| of the documents of the case from the district | | | | inadmissible in court. The same goes if a search was |
| attorney's office because by law, both sides are | | | | done without a warrant. |
| supposed to view everything from the police reports | | | | There are many examples which you can use. You |
| to the evidence. | | | | may even cite a case with similar circumstances |
| You will also get a copy of the people the | | | | because this serves as precedence to the one you |
| prosecution will be calling to the witness stand as | | | | are working on. |
| they too will also be aware of that so there will be | | | | The life of a criminal defense lawyer is challenging no |
| no surprises during trial. | | | | matter how many times you have been inside the |
| When it is your turn to cross examine the witness, | | | | court room. This is because you get to work with |
| you should use whatever is available to cast doubt | | | | different clients each time since someone who was |
| on their testimony because this is the only way that | | | | innocent can no longer be charged with the same |
| the jury may be convinced that your client is not | | | | offense because of the principle of double jeopardy. |