After an arrest, you may know that it’s important to hire a criminal defense lawyer in Mount Vernon, WA. Even if you are found guilty of the crime or you have admitted guilt, one of the ways a lawyer can be very helpful is with your sentencing. Even if you are guilty, you may not have to be given the largest sentence allowed by law for the crime. In fact, there may be other alternatives your lawyer can help with. Some of the sentences you may be able to receive instead of a lengthy jail term can be:
- Community Service – This is usually done for a set amount of hours, and can be in a variety of locations. It’s simply volunteer work that you will be required to do to give back to the community that suffered because of the crime you’re convicted of.
- Probation – In some cases, you may be able to do probation instead of jail. You will need to check in with your probation officer on a regular basis and there will be rules you will need to follow, but you will be at home and able to work instead of in jail.
- Fines – Many cases include fines. These are to pay retribution for the crime, to cover legal costs associated with the crime, or as punitive fines meant to make you think about your decisions in the future so you don’t commit the same crime again.
- Treatment – In cases where drugs or alcohol are involved, your lawyer may be able to convince the judge that you need treatment instead of jail time. You will be able to be a patient at a drug or alcohol program for the amount of time set by the judge.
Your criminal defense lawyer in Mount Vernon WA will work hard to keep you out of jail so you can continue your life. While this isn’t always possible, they may be able to have one or more of these types of sentences replace some or all of the jail time your facing. This way, you don’t have to spend the maximum amount of time behind bars and you can work towards moving on from the case and improving your life. Your criminal defense lawyer will be able to tell you what sentences you may be looking at if you are convicted, so contact them today with any questions. For more information, visit Gilbert & Gilbert Lawyers Inc.
