A criminal defense lawyer can help you identify ways that the police or prosecution violated your rights, which would make it illegal to convict you; if you plead not guilty, your lawyer can help persuade jurors that there is reasonable doubt about your guilt.
When criminal defense lawyers are portrayed in movies and TV series, you usually see them representing their defendants at trial, but that is only a small part of what they do. Being able to make persuasive arguments in front of a juror is certainly an important skill for a criminal defense attorney, but considering that fewer than 10% of criminal cases go to trial, it stands to reason that there are many other ways that defense lawyers help their clients.
Most of these ways are not especially dramatic or interesting to audiences; no one wants to watch a movie about a defense lawyer sitting in an office and discussing a plea deal with lawyers from the district attorney’s office. The behind-the-scenes work is just as important, and the criminal defense lawyers at the Law Office of Kyle Whitaker excel at all of it.
What Do Criminal Defense Lawyers Do?
All defendants in criminal cases have the right to representation by a criminal defense lawyer; a lawyer from the public defender’s office will represent you if you cannot afford to hire your own lawyer. If you get arrested, you should exercise your right to remain silent; then, contact a defense lawyer or ask a family member to contact one as soon as possible. The sooner you get a lawyer involved, the more your lawyer can help. These are some ways that criminal defense lawyers help defendants in criminal cases:
- Identifying ways that the police violated your rights before, during, or after your arrest, which would necessitate dropping the charges (for example, if the police searched your property without a warrant or pulled you over at a traffic stop for no reason)
- Arguing that certain evidence should or should not be presented at trial
- Advising you about which questions by police or investigators you should answer and when you should invoke your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent
- Ensuring that the jurors at your trial are unbiased and have not already made up their minds to convict you because of their own personal views or because of media reports about your case
- Negotiation with the prosecution for a plea deal, so that if you plead guilty, you get a lesser punishment than you would have gotten if convicted at trial
Aggressive Fort Worth Criminal Defense Lawyer
Kyle Whitaker is a criminal defense lawyer in Tarrant County, Texas, and his success derives from the fact that he sees the big picture. He has worked for the district attorney’s office and understands criminal law from the prosecution side as well as the defense side. His experience as a family law attorney enables him to identify and pursue the best interests of his clients and their families.
Contact the Law Office of Kyle Whitaker About Criminal Defense Cases
It is not too soon to contact a criminal defense lawyer if you have been accused of a crime. Contact the Law Office of Kyle Whitaker in Fort Worth, Texas to discuss your case.
