After you’ve been charged with a crime, there are a lot of legal proceedings that go on before you even get to your trial. A Houston criminal defense attorney can help you with all of these proceedings so that you get the best possible scenario in the end. Without the help of a competent attorney, you may be sitting in jail without bail and waiting a very long time for a trial. As a result, you need to hire an attorney as soon as possible. This way you have someone on your side from day one.
From the moment you’re taken down to the police station to give a statement, you should have your Houston criminal defense attorney at your side. The police and the detectives will usually use intimidation tactics to get you to speak. One wrong word that you didn’t think about and you could be dealing with a much bigger problem. Remember that your Miranda rights state that anything you say can and will be used against you. If you have a lawyer beside you, they can advise you on what to answer and put a stop to the questioning altogether. Think of them as your bodyguard against the cops, which can be a very good thing to have, especially if the crime that you allegedly committed is very bad.
As soon as you hire your Houston criminal defense attorney, they are at your side until the end of the trial – and possibly beyond if you decide to repeal the ruling and take it up through the court system. One of the very first things they will do for you is help with the bail hearing. Your lawyer’s goal is to have bail set as low as possible so that you don’t have to wait inside of a jail cell for your trial. The lawyer will use things such as your prior history and your good standing as a citizen to get the judge to set the bail very low.
Once the bail hearing is over, the Houston criminal defense attorneys will begin building your case. They’ll find out what the prosecution has against you and look at tearing holes in what they have so that you are not the prime suspect anymore. Your alibi, your motive, and much more will be called into question. Witness statements, character statements and other documents may be used to paint a picture to the courtroom of who you are to show that you are not capable of committing the crime that you have been charged with.
You need a very aggressive, well educated Houston criminal defense attorney to stand by your side throughout the entire ordeal. Someone with experience in the crime that you’ve been charged with is always best because they will be able to identify the loop holes and use prior cases to help the case move forward. When the verdict finally comes through, you need to be happy with the results so that you can get on with your life – outside of a prison cell.