It’s not easy to defend yourself against a criminal charge. You will have to begin by understanding the different components of the crime. Next, you must find out the kind of defenses you might have against each of those components. There’s, however, no need of defending against all the components. That’s because you will only need to raise a reasonable doubt for turning the case in your favor.
The section below will introduce you to some common defenses to criminal charges. Note that these defenses may not work for you as every case has different requirements. So, it’s always a good idea to seek legal help. Click here to find a qualified defense lawyer.
How to Defend Yourself?
The prosecutor must prove a person’s guilt to convict him of any criminal charge. The prosecutor will never be able to prove you guilty if you can present a defense for raising a reasonable doubt. Such defenses can be of two types:
- I didn’t commit the crime
- I committed the crime, but no one should hold me responsible for it
I didn’t commit the crime: The easiest way of getting rid of a criminal charge is by proving that you haven’t committed the crime. This will shift the entire burden of proving all components of the crime in the plaintiff’s favor on the prosecutor. As a defendant, you will only need to sit back and see how the prosecutor is handling the case.
However, if the defendant has got anything, which can prove that he can’t commit the crime, he should speak up.
I committed the crime, but no one should hold me responsible for it: This method will work for you if you have committed the crime. Putting forward some mitigating reasons or circumstances as excuses for your actions can help you to raise reasonable doubt.
If you opt for this method, you will be the one putting all the hard work. You will not be able to relax hoping that the prosecutor will do all the needful for proving their case. You will need to prove that your actions were not deliberate, and the law shouldn’t hold you responsible for them. The jury will need you to present evidence of your defense.
Tips for Hiring a Lawyer
Whatever might be the situation you are in you should consider hiring a lawyer to defend you in court. Here are a few things to keep in mind when hiring a lawyer.
- A criminal defense lawyer must start working on your case straight away. Delaying the case would make your chances of proven guilty much higher.
- Choose someone who has a specialization in criminal law.
- The lawyer should also have experience of working in the local courts.
- He should represent a reputable law firm. Law firms tend to operate more systematically when it comes to serving clients.
- He should have an impressive track record.
Conclusion
Today, you can come across the best criminal lawyer practicing in your area just by performing a little research online. This method will also allow you to weigh the performances of lawyers against each other before hiring one. Click here to know about some highly qualified criminal defense lawyers.