“FIGHT DILIGENTLY TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS”
by Contributor
(Sep. 23, 2019) — Avoiding a criminal conviction requires you to know what your legal rights are. Sure, you might be able to get by if you avoid breaking any laws, or upsetting any powerful people, but that approach isn’t completely foolproof. Just as anyone can sue you for just about anything, criminal charges can and have been filed against completely innocent persons. Realize that it isn’t the filing of criminal charges that ruins lives; criminal convictions are what negatively impact lives forever. This is how you fight to clear your name in case you are wrongfully accused of committing a crime.
Fight Your Hardest to Have the Charges Thrown Own Voluntarily
Prosecutors, attorney generals, and even police officers themselves are capable of filing criminal charges. This means that you can be charged for felonies as well as misdemeanors, have an arrest warrant sworn out against you, be released on your own recognizance, or be ordered to be held in a local jail until the date of your hearing. For the average layperson, there isn’t a lot to be done at this stage except advocate for yourself and seek to have the charges voluntarily dismissed. Visit charlestonlaw.net and learn how you can retain a professional criminal defense lawyer. It is critical that you get proper representation as soon as you know that you have criminal charges pending.
Protect Your Civil Rights at All Costs
While clearing your good name might be the most obvious goal that you want to accomplish, you must also think about the potential ramifications you face. Whether you have the most competent criminal defense attorney at your behest or a public defender, a big part of their job is to protect your civil rights. So, if you feel that you were treated unfairly during your arrest, were threatened in any way, or have reason to believe that you are not getting a fair shot, your attorney needs to be informed.
Meet with an Attorney Before You Meet with the Police
Did you know that all it takes is some circumstantial evidence or a confession in order to get a jury to believe a person’s guilt? Even if said confession was made under duress by an innocent person with plenty of evidence to the contrary, sometimes the conviction will stick. What this tells a reasonable person is that they need to consult with an attorney prior to making any statements to the police. Look at the way that Miranda rights are constructed; anything that you say in the middle of a criminal investigation can, and more than likely will, be used to secure your conviction. The only other person that is going to advocate for you in the criminal justice system is your criminal defense attorney.
People are normally shocked if and when they are charged with a crime. Whether you have been accused of being a public nuisance for the amount of litter present in your front yard or you face charges for an outrageous crime, the criminal charges themselves can be dealt with. Hire an attorney, don’t make any rash moves, and fight diligently to protect your rights.