When a person is charged with a crime and knows they committed the crime, he or she may feel hopeless and bogged down by guilt, and the last thing on their mind is hiring an attorney to defend them. After all, hiring an attorney can be expensive and may seem like a waste of money to pay a lawyer if the accused individual is going to end up pleading guilty anyway. They believe that the best thing to do is to just enter a guilty plea and put the case behind them. While this may be the case in some situations, ideally, if you can hire an attorney, you should do so because an attorney might be able to help you negotiate a better plea to a lesser charge and an experienced attorney can even reduce sentencing times for the defendant, or even win the case entirely for you.
Consider the Seriousness of Your Charge
Every criminal defendant will need to make the decision of whether to plead guilty or go to trial. While a criminal defense attorney can provide guidance on the options and potential outcomes, only the defendant can make the final decision. However, avoiding hiring a lawyer to represent you could be a big mistake. Pleading guilty without the advice of a licensed attorney could result in criminal charges that could have been prevented. In some cases, it may seem like pleading guilty is the right decision and you may feel that you will get better treatment by cooperating fully and being honest, which may seem like the right thing to do, to admit your wrongdoing, but even an honest desire to “own up” to a mistake can result in avoidable lifelong consequences. Pleading guilty you can get the maximum sentence, where if you have an attorney, they can negotiate a better deal for you.
A lawyer can negotiate a plea agreement with the state to help reduce sentencing. Lawyers have often experienced negotiators and know how to properly negotiate with the prosecutors on a recommendation for sentencing. A criminal lawyer knows what is important to the court and knows how to present your circumstances in a way that can be beneficial to you. By hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney, you can help minimize the possible penalties you will face.
The Consequences of a Conviction
Being convicted of a crime can tarnish and negatively impact an individual’s reputation for several years, even a lifetime, and the consequences are devastating. Pleading guilty by one’s own accord is a risky activity that can result in the following:
- Probation
- Loss of Driver’s License
- Loss of Professional License
- Deportation
- Impede You from Living in Public Housing
- Reduce Earning Potential or Employment Options
- Prohibit You from Owning a Firearm
Hiring an attorney means protecting your future, so don’t settle. According to lawyer Stroleny, being placed under arrest does not mean you are guilty, which gives an attorney the opportunity to make the defense for your case and ultimately protect your rights and autonomy.
Using a Public Defender
As an individual who has been accused of a crime, you have a right to an attorney by law, and one will be provided to you if you can’t afford one. They are called public defenders, and they make sure that no defendant is denied their right to an attorney, which is provided under the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution. You can settle for a public defender, sure, but they are often overworked, understaffed, and under pressure to settle cases, which means their case in representing you may not be as effective as with a personal criminal defense attorney you hired who knows your story and what you are going through.
Media Contact
Stroleny Law, P.A.
Miami, FL
