The Consequences of Not Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you’re arrested with criminal charges, you will be facing a misdemeanor or felony on your record. This means you’ll need to start thinking about how to defend yourself when it comes to a trial.
Being charged with a crime comes with many financial implications, so your first instinct might be to try and defend yourself or find an attorney for the bottom dollar.
However, this puts you at risk.
While it is legal to represent yourself in court (pro se representation), you should understand that the odds will be against you and that a lack of a strong defense will not get you the best possible outcome for your case.
Consider this. If you need a home repair, such as a roof redone, you would hire a professional roofer to complete the job. When you’re having health issues, you see a doctor or family practitioner for proper healthcare.
Why should criminal law be any different? When you’re being charged with a crime, there are several consequences of not hiring a criminal defense lawyer to take on your case.
Risks of Not Having a Criminal Defense Lawyer
A conviction could cost you more than financial trouble. There are higher costs of not having a criminal defense lawyer than hiring an experienced professional who is prepared to defend you at their hourly or flat rate.
Lack of Knowledge
Unless you’ve taken courses in law school, it is likely that you won’t have the proper knowledge to take on your case by yourself in court.
Hiring someone specifically trained and with the experience that your criminal case requires is the right choice to get the best possible outcome for your criminal case.
Having an advocate that knows about your specific charges, has the experience to back it up, and can navigate the courtroom and legal processes at hand are more likely to give you a stronger defense than you trying to represent yourself. They will know what defenses to use to represent you best as well as what rights you have in the courtroom under the Constitution.
Lack of Experience
When you try to do things yourself that you don’t have the experience for, what will the potential outcome be?
While you know what your official charges are, that doesn’t imply that you know all of the implications that come with those charges. If you haven’t appeared in court before, facing an opposing attorney who is experienced and knowledgeable on your own could be a challenge.
To present your case in the best perspective possible, hiring a criminal defense lawyer is key. An experienced criminal defense lawyer will know the history of the opposing attorney, clerk, or judge in the courtroom. They will be able to give you a thorough overview of legal proceedings regarding your case. They’ll also have experience interviewing witnesses, arguing motions, giving evidentiary support or arguments, and presenting opening and closing statements to the jury.
The legal training and experience behind a criminal defense lawyer will give you a much higher chance of success in coming out of your case with the best possible outcome.
Conviction and Possible Jail Time
If you try to argue your own case, you may say the wrong thing and land yourself in more trouble than you are already in.
The consequences of not hiring a criminal defense lawyer can be severe. A judge won’t provide you with leniency just because you don’t hire an attorney to represent you. When you are charged with a crime, the full extent of the law applies.
This means that you’ll face conviction for your criminal charges. Your personal and professional reputation will be permanently changed. Employers, landlords, banks, and educational institutions all make decisions with a background check in mind. If a misdemeanor or felony shows up on your background check, these people may avoid working with you altogether. Relationships with family, friends, and loved ones can be strained as well.
You also risk facing potential jail time. Misdemeanor convictions provide county jail time of a year while felonies will land you in state prison for the same amount of time (if not longer depending on the charges). Hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer will give you the edge on your case to avoid jail time, even if it means facing parole or hefty fines along the way.
Hire Andrew L. Schwartz to Best Represent You
Handling criminal cases in a professional and determined manner can help to lessen threats to your freedom and future.
Experienced criminal defense attorney Andrew L. Schwartz provides clients with quality representation no matter what the situation may be. He is one of the best Cobb County criminal attorneys who will work to develop a strong and effective defense of your rights and freedom.
With experience in dealing with charges such as DUI, theft, burglary, probation violations, and more, Schwartz is prepared to meet you at your rights and freedoms in all stages of the legal process.
Contact Schwartz Law today for aggressive criminal defense with proven results.
