Matt Horeczko - Do I Need a Lawyer When I'm Charged with a Crime?
It is almost always in the best interests of defendants charged with crimes to hire a lawyer. Many criminal defendants seek the assistance of a lawyer, especially when jail or prison is a possible outcome. It is very hard for a person to deal with his or her criminal case competently, says Matt Horeczko. There are no statistics on how many individuals represent themselves in criminal cases, but estimates range well below 1%.
Power
of Attorney
In criminal courts, procedural
discretion - the ability of prosecutors to decide whether to file criminal
charges and what charges to file - is a major factor. The chief prosecutor has
significant discretion in making decisions that can greatly influence the outcome
of a case.
On paper, an act may appear to
constitute a specific crime, but it can also be reformulated into other crimes,
some more and some less serious. What is a law book if it appears to be a fixed
sentence for a particular crime but can be negotiated differently?
Challenge Evidence
It's possible that the police did
not follow the laws and procedures when collecting evidence against you. An
attorney will be able to spot these issues and can file a motion to suppress
the unlawfully obtained evidence. Charges against you may be dismissed or
reduced if the prosecutor cannot present vital evidence that proves your guilt.
Monitor
The Status Of Your Case
There may be months, years, or even
decades between the time the pre-filing investigation is completed and when
criminal charges are filed against a person. During this period, your lawyer
will keep you informed of developments with the prosecutor and law enforcement,
and relay any updates to you.
Even if you are smart or educated,
the criminal justice system makes it very difficult to work competently for
you, according to Matt
Horeczko. Each criminal case is unique, and
only a specialist who is adept at assessing the specifics and handling the many
variables that can arise in each case can provide the kind of representation
each accused needs to receive justice.
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