Taperman articles

Defense attorney

Attorneys are both respected and hated, depending on which side the the courtroom you are sitting on.  The attorney that you choose can mean the difference between having a clean record and one that is irretrievably marred.  The criminal defense attorney works to make sure that you get the best possible defense whenever you are charged with a crime.

Any person who has been accused of wrongdoing requires the services of a criminal defense attorney.  Crime differ in type and level.  For example a person charged with a drug related crime could be accused of possession, buying, or selling illicit drugs.  A crime of violence may have caused injury or death of another and may also be worsened by the use of force against children, or as part of a hate crime. Crimes involving violence against a law enforcement officer are more serious as well.  Other crimes which a criminal defense attorney deals with include sexual assault, robbery, and sexual abuse.  There are sub categories in each of these offenses and the laws of each may be quite different.

A criminal defense lawyer will use all his or her skills in displaying evidence, explaining the facts and arguing points of law.  Sometimes the information can be presented very factually, and at other times the attorney uses oration, audio visual aids, and even some superb acting skills to get the points of the case across to the jury.

Whether you are actually guilty or innocent of the crime of which you are accused, it is the responsibility of the criminal defense attorney to convince the jury that you are not guilty.  If you are indeed found guilty, then the role of the criminal defense attorney is to see that you get the lightest possible sentence imposed. This can mean the difference between life in prison or a death sentence.

 In addition to representing the client in court in matters of law, the attorney acts as a counselor to help the client make decisions about possible course of defense or other actions.  A good attorney will explain to the client the rights that they have as well as the potential cost in money, health and motional trauma which can result from the decisions made in court. 

Anyone with a conviction against them needs a criminal defense lawyer to represent them so that if possible they can get free from legal obligations even to the point of having their record expunged.  This will vary, depending on the state and the details of the case.  A criminal defense attorney will assist you to petition the court for appeals, retrials and habeas procedures in a higher court if appropriate. 

These procedures must be done correctly in order to avoid getting you into worse trouble.

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) has the dream to provide fair representation to any person who has been charged with the commission of a crime. Whether the accused is rich or poor and whether guilty or innocent, the right to a fair and competent representation is a primary goal for this group.

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