Any person charged with a felony or a crime is defended by a criminal defense attorney, who speaks on their client's behalf and represents their client in court if necessary. A client can choose his or her attorney or one can be designated by the court.Once an accused person has his or her attorney assigned, it is the responsibility of the attorney to get as much information as possible about the charges, including anything related to the case.
Once the attorney has this information, it is used to construct as strong a defense as possible. It all sounds quite straightforward and in some ways it is, although criminal law is actually complex and can be quite confusing.
A criminal defense attorney has to gather information from various different sources in order to prepare an effective defense, and these sources include witnesses, the police and any other investigators. The various duties of a defense attorney can be challenging and time consuming, and they include interviewing witnesses and trying to extract any information that may benefit their client.
A legal analysis and a thorough study of the case generally come next, after all the relevant information and facts have been gathered together. A defense attorney also has some say in the selection of a jury, the trial and sentencing, as well as any possible plea bargaining.
Of course, the attorney's first obligation is to his or her client and they must ensure that any discussions are kept confidential. Furthermore, an attorney is obligated to his or her client in other ways too.
A defense attorney also has to offer moral support to their client and help them through the trial period, as well as help them deal with the consequences of sentencing. Additionally, an attorney needs to assist his or her client with comprehending the actuality of the court case, which, in specific instances might mean that a defendant has to enter a guilty plea.
Some attorneys even choose to work for themselves, and the salaries can vary widely, based in part on who is the employer. A criminal defense attorney works for either his or her own private firm or he or she works through a federal, government and/or local agency, or the court system occasionally appoints a lawyer as a client's legal counsel. Public defenders are paid around $70,000 per year, while the average salary for a criminal defense attorney employed privately is around $79,000.
Once the attorney has this information, it is used to construct as strong a defense as possible. It all sounds quite straightforward and in some ways it is, although criminal law is actually complex and can be quite confusing.
A criminal defense attorney has to gather information from various different sources in order to prepare an effective defense, and these sources include witnesses, the police and any other investigators. The various duties of a defense attorney can be challenging and time consuming, and they include interviewing witnesses and trying to extract any information that may benefit their client.
A legal analysis and a thorough study of the case generally come next, after all the relevant information and facts have been gathered together. A defense attorney also has some say in the selection of a jury, the trial and sentencing, as well as any possible plea bargaining.
Of course, the attorney's first obligation is to his or her client and they must ensure that any discussions are kept confidential. Furthermore, an attorney is obligated to his or her client in other ways too.
A defense attorney also has to offer moral support to their client and help them through the trial period, as well as help them deal with the consequences of sentencing. Additionally, an attorney needs to assist his or her client with comprehending the actuality of the court case, which, in specific instances might mean that a defendant has to enter a guilty plea.
Some attorneys even choose to work for themselves, and the salaries can vary widely, based in part on who is the employer. A criminal defense attorney works for either his or her own private firm or he or she works through a federal, government and/or local agency, or the court system occasionally appoints a lawyer as a client's legal counsel. Public defenders are paid around $70,000 per year, while the average salary for a criminal defense attorney employed privately is around $79,000.
About the Author:
The author of this article has been in the field of Portland Criminal Defense Attorney for a long time and maintains a website at www.pdxlegalservices.com where you can get answers to the rest of your questions.
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