Handling Your Criminal Charges When You’re Innocent

Police and prosecutors make mistakes. They are human and can’t be held to an infallible standard that no other person is. Unfortunately, when these professionals make a mistake, an innocent person feels the ramifications. Many who have been falsely accused of a crime wonder how they can avoid going to trial and putting their lives in the hands of strangers. Read on to discover how attorneys handle innocent clients.

Before Charges are Filed

There are few instances in which charges are filed unexpectedly. People are spoken to and evidence is gathered. People typically know when the police are investigating them. Before charges are even filed, hiring a criminal defense attorney is typically in your best interest.

An experienced attorney may contact the police or get in touch with the prosecutor before official charges are filed. This is certainly possible, but having charges disappear before they become a reality often doesn’t happen.

Dismissal

Many times, a person has to wait until charges are filed before their attorneys can get involved in the process. It still doesn’t mean that a trial is a definite occurrence. When a person has been charged, they should provide full disclosure to their attorney. At that point, their lawyer will have enough information to make a decision.

After an investigation of their own, a defense attorney may approach the prosecutor, present the evidence and ask that the charges be dismissed. This can be good or bad. In the best cases, the charges are dismissed. In the worst cases, the defense provides the prosecutor with more material with which to advance to trial. As such, an experienced criminal defense attorney will only choose this option if they know their evidence is compelling.

Going to Trial

In some cases, the best way to defend yourself is to do nothing. This, of course, should only be done with the advice and assistance of an experienced attorney. Some lawyers will determine that the best course of action is to simply let things play out. This can be nerve-wracking for the defendant, but it may have the best outcome.

Other times, the defense has a positive outcome at a pretrial motion. Perhaps the defendant wins a preliminary hearing and the prosecutor determines that it is not in their interest to move ahead. There are several steps in the court process during which charges could be dismissed or the defense can present enough evidence to prove a person’s innocence.

Any person that has been charged with a crime should consult with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The faster a person moves on charges, the better the outcome may be. Innocent people need attorneys, too. No one should assume that the police or prosecution will eventually come to their senses and drop charges without some type of legal intervention.

If you have been arrested for a crime in Orlando or the surrounding area, please call our office. A member of our team will help you schedule a free case evaluation and advise you of your options. Call today for help. We can assist you in achieving a favorable outcome despite your guilt or innocence.