As an American citizen, you have the right to legal counsel at all stages of the criminal trial process. You don’t have to answer any questions posed to you without your lawyer present, and you don’t have to give any statement which may incriminate yourself. However, not everyone takes advantage of these legal protections.
You Can’t Trust The Competition
Generally speaking, the district attorney’s office is not likely to be predisposed in your favor. To the DA, you’re just one more defendant who needs to be pushed through the overcrowded court system as quickly as possible. The DA and police officers may act sympathetic to your side of the story, but this is a common interrogation technique which they use to talk you into saying more than you probably should.
If the prosecution really believes that you’re innocent or that your situation excuses what happened, then they will drop the charges entirely and not merely offer a plea deal which probably only sounds good because they began by quietly reminding you what the maximum penalty is in your case. But is that really the best deal you can expect? Is your case really as bleak as the prosecutor makes it sound?
An Expert In Your Corner
You may find yourself in a courtroom maybe once or twice in your entire life, but the attorneys of the DA’s office visit the courts on a daily basis. They know all the judges and all the precedents that don’t get explained in the state statutes. They know what kinds of evidence work and what kinds don’t, and they know how to talk witnesses into saying exactly what they want the judge and jury to hear.
Whether your case is a straightforward DWI incident or a complex matter of white-collar fraud with dozens of paper trails and hundreds of emails, it can help to have someone on your side who can give you professional legal advice and who will defend your interests. Even if you think that a plea bargain is your best option, a professional criminal defense lawyer may be able to get you a better deal than the prosecutor’s first offer.
If you find yourself in need of a criminal defense attorney and you live in Suffolk County on Long Island, feel free to contact the Law Office of Nailburg, Obedin, and Weissman for a free case evaluation. We do our best to get our clients the best results possible.