Buckingham Township Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been charged with a crime, it could have a significant impact on your personal and professional lives. This may be true whether or not you are actually tried or convicted of the charge. However, it may be easier to deal with the fallout created by a criminal case with the help of legal counsel. Let’s take a look at how an attorney may be able to obtain a favorable outcome in your case.

Your Attorney Will Look to Control the Narrative

When your friends, family members or others learn that you have been taken into custody, they could assume that you’re guilty of the charge against you. It is possible that your employer will terminate you or that your child’s other parent will try to use the news of the arrest against you in court.

Your attorney could take steps to increase the chances that the story receives positive coverage in the press. He or she could also highlight inconsistencies in the evidence that cast doubt on an accuser’s story or on the credibility of the authorities handling the case. Getting the public on your side can create pressure on a prosecutor to drop the matter. It may also make it easier to get an acquittal if the case does go to trial.

Your Attorney Will Highlight Inconsistencies in the Prosecution’s Case

An attorney will do whatever he or she can to create reasonable doubt during a trial. These steps could include casting doubt on witness testimony or on the results of a chemical test. It may also be possible to note to a jury that a police officer or other expert witness testifying in a case has made inaccurate or prejudicial statements in the past. This could cause a jury to doubt what that individual has to say in your case, and that doubt may result either in an acquittal or a hung jury. It could also increase the chances of the prosecution offering a favorable plea deal.

Legal Counsel Could Negotiate a Plea Bargain

One of the benefits to negotiating a plea bargain is that you may have the opportunity to plead guilty to a lesser charge. While this may not sound ideal at first glance, it may allow you to avoid jail time or other penalties that could follow you for years to come.

For instance, if you were convicted of a DUI, you would likely need to acknowledge that fact when applying for a job or applying to a college. However, if the charge is reduced to reckless driving, it may not have any impact on your future job or educational prospects.

An Attorney Could Work to Have a Charge Expunged

It may be possible for a charge to be expunged or sealed after a case is resolved. If a charge is expunged, it will be removed from your record, which can be ideal because it won’t show up in a background check. In the event that a charge is sealed, it would simply be invisible to anyone who looked for it.

However, there is a chance that the previous criminal charge or conviction could be used as a rationale to upgrade a future charge to a felony. Generally speaking, it is easier to get a misdemeanor charge expunged as opposed to a felony. This is another reason why it can be beneficial to seek a plea deal if a full acquittal looks unlikely in your case.

If you are charged with a crime, it is unwise to act as your own counsel. Instead, it is a good idea to work with an attorney who understands the law and can create a legal argument based on it. Generally speaking, this can improve your chances of earning an acquittal or favorable plea deal.