In the United States of America, the legal system has been designed to attempt to prevent people from breaking laws that will harm other citizens. The laws and subsequent enforcement details are put in place to allow people to live freely of their own decisions, free of worry for harm or danger. Unfortunately, there are some people who actively choose to disavow the laws and rules that keep the peace and will do things for the sole purpose of bettering their own situation, often at the expense of others. Fortunately, though, if you feel you have been wronged by a person like this, you can hire a Houston criminal lawyer to help you pursue an investigation and court case.
There are many reasons why you could hire a Houston criminal lawyer. Crimes happen all the time in the United States and these crimes fall into a handful of different categories. Some crimes are not dangerous while others are very dangerous. Some are somewhat incidental while others are very methodical. All of these classifications are designed to ensure that people who break laws are punished according to the severity of their actions. A person that shoplifts, for example, is not necessarily intent on violently robbing a bank. However, it is usually understand that criminals often escalate from simple misdemeanors to larger felonies so if a person is charged with shoplifting, the court system intends to prevent this person from travelling down that darker path to bigger crimes.
Obviously, if you feel you have been wronged by the actions of another, whether or not this other party is a repeat offender or whether or not they will repeat in the future is likely not your biggest concern. This is why, however, it is important to hire an experienced Houston criminal lawyer. They will listen to your emotional recount and then strip away the sensitivity to get to the real core of the issue. They will investigate the other person to see if they are simply a good person who made a simple mistake or someone with a criminal history. These are important facts when arguing a case because despite a person’s obvious guilt, if that is indeed the case, the more important thing to consider is what an appropriate punishment will be.
Punishment, or “sentencing” as it is known the legal system, is the true gift that an experienced Houston criminal lawyer brings to your case. A good attorney understands not only how the laws are set up to protect people, but what the basic and extreme sentencing options are for each verdict. If you suffered damages then you will probably be able to get restitution for them. However, that is not necessarily the end of the sentencing for the guilty party. A judge might also request that they do community service, pay fines, or even serve jail time if their crime was big enough. Of course, it is the job of their Houston criminal lawyer to help them find the right combination of punishments to fit the crime.