Why a Criminal Lawyer Is Usually Better Than a Plea Agreement

You may be wondering why you need a criminal lawyer after being charged with a crime. After all, you may get a plea agreement to reduce your penalties, and the result may not be that bad. Before you skip legal help, find out how an attorney can assist you.

If you have been arrested, you may be persuaded by members of the court or prosecution team to give up some of your rights. You may find it hard to believe that you would knowingly do so, but the fact is that few people are aware of when someone is on their side in the court system. In many cases, judges, lawyers, and police officers all want to close the case as soon as possible and then move on. If they think you may be guilty, this means that they will probably not take the time to go through the evidence in a proper manner. Instead, they will probably rush to charge you, in some cases even fabricating evidence if they think they can get away with it, especially when they are quite sure of your guilt. This is why you need a criminal lawyer to represent you.

One common issue is that people are arrested and are obviously upset and confused afterward. A member of the prosecution team may approach the accused and explain that he can get reduced charges and penalties if he simply signs a piece of paper admitting guilt. While there are times when plea agreements are helpful and can keep people out of further trouble with the law, if you did not commit the crime, or there is no evidence to prove that you did, they are detrimental to you. All they do is allow the prosecuting team to end their case and go home early, with a signed document from you that admits your guilt. You may get off with less punishment than before, but you still get punished to some extent and it is still usually on your record. If you are not guilty, then this result is unacceptable, and a good criminal lawyer may be able to prevent this from happening.

You may wonder how an attorney could help. Most lawyers will demand to see the police report, any toxicology screenings, and witness reports. You may come to find that the prosecution was not simply trying to save time by having you sign a plea deal. Instead, this may have been a tactic to get you to confess when there is no evidence. This means you might have gotten off without any penalties if you had a criminal lawyer look at the evidence, or lack thereof. This may sound unfair, and it definitely is, but it happens sometimes to those who do not have legal representation.

Clearly, getting a plea deal is not always the best, or only, option. You owe it to yourself to at least get the advice of an attorney through a free consultation before you decide whether to hire someone.