Attorneys are an extremely helpful and necessary part of modern society. They have many different ways to help people, but it all boils down to them trying to use the law to prove why they are right. One of the biggest roles that they have is defending people that have been convicted of some sort of crime. From minor driving infractions to large-scale class-action lawsuits, a criminal defense attorney is going to be able to help people get the best deal that they can from the court. If you have the option to hire or be appointed an attorney, it will definitely help you in the long run.

Responsibilities

The attorney's responsibility is to know all of the details that they can about your case. They will ask you many questions, as well as do their own investigation, to make sure that they know everything that happened. It is important to be completely honest with your attorney. They will not be able to do their job correctly unless they have all of the facts, and because of attorney-client privilege, you can be confident that they will not share any information that you do not want them to. Once they have all of the information, they will work on creating a case to get you the best deal that they can. There are many deals that can be worked out, such as reduced bail, jail time, or sentences. Cutting a deal is an important part of the legal process.

Private or Court-Appointed

There are two options when getting a defense attorney. First, you can do the research and find your own. This has the benefit of you getting to know the attorney through your research, and you can be sure that you will not clash when it comes to opinions or attitude. If you hire a private attorney, you can expect to pay quite a bit by the hour, which can really add up over the course of your case. The other option that you have is to get a court-appointed attorney, which is what most people choose. This has the benefit of being free to you because the government pays them to work on your case. Generally, you can only expect to get a court-appointed attorney if you are facing major consequences, such as jail time. Many people think that private attorneys will do better work than the court-appointed ones, but studies show that the results of the trial are similar, regardless of which type of attorney you have.

For more information, contact a local attorney, like Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C.