Have you recently learned that you are the subject of a criminal investigation by law enforcement? If so, you may be wondering if you should hire a criminal defense lawyer now or wait to see if you are arrested before spending money on a lawyer. While you may be tempted to forego legal representation, you should know that it is always best to hire a defense lawyer as soon as possible after being contacted by law enforcement in connection with a crime. You can learn more below about three reasons why this proactive approach to legal representation is so important.
#1: A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Reduce Your Chances Of Being Arrested
Not all criminal investigations ultimately result in an arrest. In order for charges to be formally brought against you, law enforcement will first need to gather enough evidence against you or get you to admit to committing a crime. This is often done by questioning you and conducting searches. A criminal defense lawyer can help to ensure that you do not make any statements that can be used against you during this process. This can ultimately help to reduce the chances that you will be arrested and charged.
#2: A Criminal Defense Lawyer Will Be Able To Ensure Your Rights Are Protected
You have many rights throughout the entire criminal court process. This includes everything from the investigative step of the process to the prosecution and sentencing steps of the process. If any of these rights are violated, any charges against you could be dropped as a result. Hiring a criminal defense lawyer early in the process will ensure that your rights are protected and that law enforcement is held responsible if they do violate these rights in any way.
#3: A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Ease The Impact Of An Arrest
Unfortunately, not even the best criminal defense lawyer will be able to guarantee that you will not eventually be arrested and formally charged with a crime. However, this attorney will be able to help ease the impact that an arrest can have on your life. This is because rather than you being arrested at home or work and then sitting in jail until the bail can be set and posted, your lawyer will be able to arrange for your surrender. This not only gives you the ability to avoid a public arrest, but it will also allow you to arrange bail before you are arrested so that you can be released immediately after you have been processed rather than being placed into the general population of the jail.
To learn more, contact a criminal defense lawyer in your area.
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