Facing criminal charges can be terrifying, and it’s important to prepare for your potential case thoroughly. Hiring a defense attorney is critical for improving your odds of beating charges. Here are a few questions to ask your defense attorney.
Overall Strategy
While lawyers need time to prepare cases, they can often provide a general overview of how they view a particular case. Ask about their view of your case while giving an interview. In some cases, you might want to take an aggressive approach when your lawyer is more comfortable with a more conservative approach. Similarly, your lawyer might want to fight charges while you’d prefer to seek a plea. Asking questions helps ensure that you and your lawyer are on the same page.
Realistic Scenarios
Prosecutors often rely on intimidation as a means of securing a plea bargain or conviction. However, they often relay information that’s deceptive if technically accurate. While the potential sentence for a crime, for example, might be exceedingly high, sentencing guidelines might make the potential punishment far less frightening. Your defense attorney can help you discover the most likely outcomes for your case.
Behavior
Your behavior both before and during the trial can have an effect on the ultimate outcome, so make sure to stay out of trouble as the process unfolds. However, your defense lawyer will likely have tips for actions you can take in the interim. If drugs are involved in your case, for example, attending rehabilitation or taking certain classes can help you find a more favorable outcome. If you might testify in front of the jury, your attorney might have steps to improve your performance.
Time Frames
Although the Constitution guarantees the right to a speedy trial, court cases often drag on far longer than many realize. While it’s impossible to predict exactly how a case will resolve, your lawyer can give you guidelines for what to expect. Criminal charges can make you feel as if you’re stuck until the case resolves, but life goes on. By learning how long your case is likely to take, you can better prepare for the future and continue making the most of your time.
While criminal defense lawyers are tasked with representing you as well as possible in court, they also function as guides and advocates to help you make it through the process. Attorneys are happy to answer questions, so feel free to ask if you ever feel confused or overwhelmed.