Should You Try to Represent Yourself in Court?

You may have heard of people representing themselves when charged with crimes such as misdemeanors or felonies. You may have even seen examples of defendants representing themselves on TV or in the movies. You may be left wondering if this is a good idea.

It is true that an individual can represent his or herself successfully in certain low-risk legal situations such as small claims court. However, the stakes are much higher in criminal cases. Thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours of community service, simple freedoms such as the ability to drive a car, or even years spent in prison could be at stake. While lawyers are sometimes costly, you should always be keeping your best interest in mind.

For example, in most states, the charge of drunk driving can come with a number of very stiff penalties. These penalties can include a suspended license, hefty fines, and even long jail sentences.

As in other cases, you can probably try to represent yourself in court. However, a DUI lawyer will have much more experience in how to properly navigate the court proceedings to give you the best result. You may assume for instance that you will more than likely have to spend at least some time behind bars if you are convicted of drunk driving.

The lawyer, however, knows that this isn't necessarily the case. With a first drunk driving conviction, a driver may be given a jail sentence. However, if the defendant behaves in certain ways, this sentence can be suspended. If the jail sentence is suspended, the defendant will not have to spend any time behind bars. Instead, he or she will simply have to obey court rules during a probationary period.

To get such a good deal from the judge, a defendant may have to do certain things that a layperson may not be aware of that an experienced criminal lawyer will be. For example, a DUI lawyer may know that if the defendant enrolls in an alcohol rehabilitation program before the court orders him to do so the judge may look very favorably upon this when sentencing. Actions such as this that an experienced criminal attorney will know about are the kinds of things that can result in reduced sentences and keeping someone out of jail.

Specialized knowledge is also something that is integral to producing the best outcome for someone charged with a crime. The lawyer you hire may be very experienced in the legal system of the area in which you live. He or she, for example, may know how the judge will react to certain things.

They will know what the best approach to the case would be when the case will be tried with a jury made up of individuals from a certain community. This is the kind of knowledge you can not learn from reading up on the law in a library or on the internet. For these reasons and more, it is always a very wise decision to hire a lawyer to represent you in criminal court.

The author, Nick Messe, is president of Lead Frog LLC. When you need a Manassas DUI lawyer call Tom Wilson in Manassas, VA. He has helped thousands of people beat felony and misdemeanor charges ranging from DUIs and traffic offenses to 1st degree murder. Call 703-368-5997

ba education online blood cord

Four Questions You Should Ask Prospective Criminal Defense Lawyers

Your initial priority after you've been accused of a crime should be to hire yourself the best criminal defense attorney you can locate. How can you find the best attorney for your situation? There are four important questions you need to ask of each potential representing lawyer.

Question 1 - How Will The Lawyer Handle The Case? - You'll need to explain the case to each legal counsel you see. Let them know what charges you are facing and give them the circumstances surrounding the arrest and charges. Once you are done, ask them how they plan to handle it. There are two things you need to watch out for with their answer:

- Ensure the lawyer understands your case clearly
- Ensure they've paid attention to all details of the case

Question 2 - What Is Their Plan Of Action? - The legal counsel you are speaking to should be telling you what kind of action they plan to take. You want to know what your criminal defense is going to be. You also want to know how they plan to proceed in defending you in a clear, concise and easy to understand manner. Even if the criminal defense attorney is good, you can feel stressed out from the entire situation when you don't understand the proceedings and what is happening.

Question 3 - What Are The Attorney Fees? - Remember that each lawyer will bill you differently. Some ways they may charge include:

- By the hour
- By phone call
- Charge for miscellaneous expenses

Make sure to get a ballpark amount so you understand about what it will cost to defend you. You need to make sure all the terms are clear including when you'll need to pay your first payment or if the lawyer requests a retainer for his/her services. While you want the best and most experienced criminal defense lawyer, you need to know what their costs are overall.

Question 4 - How Will Your Attorney Keep You Updated On Your Case? - You need to question the counsel how he/she plans to keep you updated on the case. Some lawyers will make sure you're contacted all the time while others contact you with they have information they need from you or have to share. You want the type of lawyer who will inform you of everything and how the case is progressing; it doesn't matter if there's no report at all. Make sure you stay in the loop and your lawyer keeps you there. If the only time you want to hear from your retained legal counsel is when they have something important to tell you, let them know this upfront.

While you're asking these four important questions, pay attention to how the lawyer makes you feel. Are you comfortable with their process or with them? While your case is ongoing, you'll be sharing all kinds of personal and private information; do you feel comfortable with telling them this information. You want a lawyer who won't make a judgment about you so don't settle for just any lawyer. Find one you are comfortable with all the way around.

Colin Daives writes general information articles about criminal and DUI law. Each state has different laws and every case is unique. His articles are not meant to be legal advice. To learn more, contact a Colorado DUI attorney or for assistance with your case in the state of Colorado, contact a Denver criminal defense attorney today.

loans refinancing quicken loan