A criminal attorney is the first person you should call if you are arrested for any crime. The attorney is your best friend during your trial. It is important to know a good lawyer so that you know whom to turn to if such a situation arises. Before you try to find a good criminal attorney, you can browse this site to know the basics of criminal law and the importance of a criminal law attorney.
How Does Criminal Law Work?
Criminal law is defined as the prosecution of a person by the government for being involved in an action which has been classified as a crime. It is different from civil law where individuals and organizations are involved in legal disputes. A criminal defense attorney represents the accused and tries to clear the accused of all criminal charges.
Criminal law works in three basic steps. The first step is when people are questioned after a crime has been committed. So you may be questioned in connection with a crime but not arrested. The second step is when a search warrant is issued where the police have the right to search your home or office. This usually occurs when you are the main suspect in the crime. By this time, you should be considering to contact a lawyer and conduct a warrant check to verify if you will be arrested. The third step is that of being arrested based on certain evidence.
You Have The Right To Remain Silent
If arrested, you are given two basic rights. One is that you can remain silent and not say anything that might incriminate you further. The second right is to be defended by a criminal attorney. You could call your own lawyer. In case you cannot afford one, the court will assign one to you.
Legal Fees
You have the option of hiring an online criminal attorney to help you. When you hire a criminal attorney you should be aware of his/her fees and be sure you can afford it. Legal fees can get a little exorbitant at times especially if the case takes a long time in court. Most attorneys charge by the hour. They also charge you for research work, investigative work and fees for paralegals.
Many attorneys work as part of a law firm. These lawyers will charge more than individual lawyers as they need to cover the costs of work done by their associates. They also have a large amount of experience so they are at times quite expensive. If you want to save money then you can also search online for a good criminal attorney who falls within your budget.