Utah Criminal Defense - When Should I Hire a Lawyer?
What is the best time to hire a
criminal
defense lawyer? As
soon as possible.
There
are many reasons to contact a criminal lawyer early on in your case.
Even before charges are filed, a skilled criminal defense
lawyer
may be able to take action that can put you in a position that will
help you achieve the outcome you need in your case.
Early Intervention Can Avoid Criminal Charges
The
only thing better than a dismissed case is a case that never gets to
court. Through early intervention in a criminal
investigation, a
skilled criminal defense lawyer may be able to help convince
prosecutors to decline charges before you even go to court.
Even
if your attorney is not able to completely derail the case, he may be
able to help minimize your exposure to risk as well as ensure that you
don't inadvertently give the police information that will hurt your
case.
Investigation Preserves Necessary Evidence
If
criminal charges cannot be avoided, you need to be in the best possible
position for a trial. That means having the best possible
evidence to support your case.
Evidence can be lost,
destroyed, or tampered with. Witnesses can move.
Memories
can fade. If you are facing criminal prosecution, there may
be a
limited window of opportunity during which critical evidence can be
preserved. Talking to an experienced criminal lawyer early
on can improve the chances that the evidence you need for your
case will still be there when the time for trial comes.
The Best Mitigation Begins Early
There
are times when the best strategy for defending a criminal case does not
involve taking the case to trial. While a lot of attorneys in
Utah claim to be "aggressive" and to "fight hard," in some
circumstances, you may be better off working toward a
negotiated
resolution. An experienced criminal lawyer can help
you determine
what steps you can take immediately to help put yourself in a better
position to negotiate a more favorable resolution to a case.
Early Representation Can Prevent Police Questioning
If
you have not hired an attorney or notified police that you will not
talk to them without an attorney present, police may continue
pressuring you to make a statement or allow an interview.
Without
consulting with a lawyer first, it is highly likely that giving a
statement to police may provide them with information that may be used
against you later in the case. Once you hire a lawyer, your
attorney can step between you and the police and help insure that you
do not inadvertently provide police with evidence that will hurt your
case.
This list is just the beginning. There are many reasons to
hire a lawyer as soon as you
discover that there is an investigation or charges pending against you.
There is no good reason to wait.
Based in
Salt
Lake City, criminal defense lawyer Stephen Howard has
handled literally thousands of serious
felony
charges during his
career. He has a track record of achieving
real results for his
clients.
Contact us
now to schedule an initial consultation.