When you are accused of a criminal offense, the first person
you should talk to is a criminal defense attorney. A criminal lawyer's work is
to argue their client's innocence by providing supporting evidence and poking
holes at the prosecution's argument. Thus, choosing the best lawyer in the
business is critical to proving your innocence.
Notably, criminal lawyers use a variety of effective and
clever defense strategies to win cases for their clients. Most approaches are
comprised of strong arguments, well-developed defense theories, and other witty
attorney tactics. Therefore, clients need to understand some of the strategies
criminal defense attorneys use. Read on for more information.
1. Reasonable Doubt
One of the most common and effective strategies criminal
lawyers use is reasonable doubt. US laws require that an accused person can
only be indicted for a crime if available evidence proves their guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt. Typically, a prosecutor's job is to prove guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt. Consequently, a criminal lawyer must look for weaknesses in
the evidence presented.
Criminal lawyers use various ways to establish reasonable
doubt in a prosecutor's evidence. For instance, a defense attorney might
demonstrate a bias in questioning the credibility of an expert witness. All it
takes for a criminal lawyer to create reasonable doubt is to successfully poke
holes at the evidence. Doing so makes it difficult for a prosecutor to prove legal
guilt.
2. Credible Alibi
A person can only be in one place at a specific time.
Therefore, an alibi is a common strategy that criminal lawyers use to prove a
client's innocence. Of course, one cannot be guilty of a crime if they were not
at the scene. However, a criminal lawyer must ensure their client's alibi is
credible and valid.
An alibi's validity and credibility can be supported by
witnesses, video footage, photographs, or GPS records. Some evidence, such as
videos and photos, must be authenticated for credibility before they may be
used in a court case. The best way to make the strategy effective is to
promptly disclose accurate alibi information to the police.
3. Imminent Danger
You might not be indicted for committing a crime to save
your life or the lives of others. Inform your lawyer if you committed a crime
under duress of imminent bodily and psychological harm is critical. Criminal
lawyers can only use the strategy if the force used on a plaintiff is
proportionate to the imminent danger.
For example, killing someone with a knife if they threaten
you with a gun is considered self-defense, not a crime. Conversely, it is a
crime to shoot someone if they threaten you with a knife. The imminent danger
strategy is more effective if a criminal lawyer thoroughly reviews the facts of
a case.
4. Plea Bargain
An experienced criminal lawyer will review a case and
immediately establish whether the evidence against their client is overwhelming
or not. However, a good defense attorney should still defend their client. Part
of the defense involves discussing with the prosecution about a plea
bargain.
Notably, a plea bargain is a good defense strategy if the
evidence of guilt is overwhelming. Typically, a criminal lawyer meets with a
prosecutor to discuss the terms on behalf of their client. For instance, a
defendant can plead guilty for a reduced sentence. However, a criminal lawyer
will not use the strategy if they believe in their client's innocence.
The strategies used by experienced criminal lawyers vary
from one case to the next. A good attorney will only choose a defense strategy
after reviewing case facts. Contact us
to discuss the best possible defense strategy that guarantees your
justice.
