A lawyer who practices criminal law may represent either the person accused of committing a crime or the government which prosecutes the case. In a typical criminal trial there will be a defense lawyer who advocates for the accused and an opposing lawyer who prosecutes the case on behalf of the government. A criminal lawyer in Bel Air, MD can support clients who have been accused of drinking under the influence or advocating for a client who is accused of murder. In all criminal cases the government is represented by the prosecutor.
A criminal lawyer can work for a law firm, be a solo practitioner or work for the government. The government employs lawyers who both defend and prosecute cases, those lawyers that work for the government and defend the accused are called public defenders and in most cases these lawyers are assigned to represent defendants who cannot pay for a private lawyer.
The primary task of a criminal defense lawyer is to advocate for his or her client. To do the job effectively in many cases the lawyer must set aside all emotions and personal opinion. Regardless of what the criminal lawyer in Bel Air, MD feels about the innocence or possible guilt of the client, the job is to champion the clients cause because in law, everyone is innocent until proven otherwise, this puts the onus on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
It is not just at trial that the lawyer appears in court, as the lawyer is brought into the picture early in the proceedings he or she will attend bail hearings and other administrative hearings.
Long before appearing in court the lawyer is responsible for performing a large number of tasks in preparation for the defense of the accused. The lawyer will spend innumerable hours with the accused, gathering information that led to arrest; all of this is done in advance of hearings and the trial. In the event the prosecutor offers a plea-bargain it is the job of the defense lawyer to discuss the proposal with the client, during these plea-bargain discussions the lawyer will usually provide the client with advice on whether to accept the offer or not and what the legal consequences are.
In preparation for trial the criminal lawyer in Bel Air, MD will do considerable legal research looking for case law or statutory interpretations that will help the client’s case. Taking depositions from witnesses and hiring investigators and interpreting evidence found by the investigator are all part of what a criminal lawyer does.
If you have been arrested and charged with a crime then you will need a criminal lawyer in Bel Air, MD. You are welcome to contact the Law Offices of Maria K. Caruso to discuss your case and plan your defense. Click here to learn more.
