Hiring A New Jersey Criminal Lawyer

By Edward Snyder


Law enforcement agencies normally carry out thorough investigations to determine the motive behind every crime as well as establish how the crime was committed. During the investigations, several people may get arrested and interviewed. Those found to have a link to the crime may be charged in court if there is sufficient evidence. If you are charged with a crime, it is crucial you hire a New Jersey criminal lawyer to represent you from the start.

It is the right of every suspect to have a defense attorney present during questioning. This is because investigators may ask inappropriate questions or threaten the suspect. If interrogation is done without an attorney present, the case can be thrown out for lack of evidence.

In the initial stages of a case, hiring an attorney is important because the evidence that the prosecutor and police possess may be insufficient. This means that the police would not have any reason to detain you. In such cases, your lawyer may threaten to sue the police for harassment. In many cases, this threat is enough to have you released.

When you are arraigned in court, the attorney will represent you and ask for a bail hearing during the first court appearance. Obviously, the prosecutor will oppose bail, but your attorney will provide evidence to show that you are not a flight risk or a danger to society. These are the two most common reasons used to deny defendants bail.

In criminal cases, it is important to note that the prosecution usually has the burden of proof. This means that they must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you committed the crime. If not, the case can be thrown out of court when the prosecution rests their case. A great attorney can raise reasonable doubt when any prosecution witness or piece of evidence is presented in court.

If the evidence the prosecution presents in court is enough to get a conviction, the first thing your attorney will do is approach the prosecutor with the aim of striking a plea agreement. For instance, you can plead guilty to a lesser sentence and get a less punitive sentence. In some cases, it is the prosecutor who will propose the deal because they want to save time and resources.

When a case is concluded and the judge makes a ruling, it is still possible to overturn that ruling through an appeal. Your attorney can appeal either the sentence, claiming it is excessively severe, or the ruling, claiming that the sitting judge overlooked some facts and made a wrong determination. Whatever the case, your attorney will handle all the paperwork.

In New Jersey, there are thousands of criminal defense lawyers who can handle your case. Since they are not all the same, there are several factors that you will need to consider, including; experience, reputation and success rate. The legal fees charged by an attorney should also be considered.




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