The Criminal Defense Law Firm - What They Do

Everyone knows that when you are charged with a crime, you hire a lawyer. If you can't afford one, the court will appoint a public defender to your case. But what does a criminal defense law firm really do? After they take on a case, what do they do to see that case through to competition? Their primary objective in any case is to represent their client to the best of their abilities. That is, in fact, what they are charged with doing under the law. How they go about that will vary from attorney to attorney and from case to case, but there are some general similarities.

When an attorney works for a criminal defense law firm, many of their duties will include advising their clients on the best course of action. When a client hires a lawyer, they aren't giving over their entire plan of defense. The client is still ostensibly in charge of how he wants to be represented. The lawyer can refuse to do certain things and can even drop the case if he feels the client is uncooperative, but no lawyer can force a client to accept a certain form of defense. They can advise, however, and most reasonable defendants will find it in their best interests to listen to that advice.

Another big part of the attorney's duties within a case will be investigation. This may include going out to the crime scene, having independent analysis done on the evidence, and interviewing experts that can help the defendant in court. This stage will also include interviewing witnesses and possibly preparing the defendant to take the stand during the trial. If possible, the lawyer will also try to establish an alibi for their client. If a person has any knowledge of being with the defendant at the time of the crimes, this can make a big difference in whether or not they are convicted.

Finally, a criminal defense law firm should be filled with experts on arguing a case in front of a judge or jury. They will craft an opening statement that summarizes the case and persuades the jury to hold out their judgment until they see all of the evidence presented to them. They will then use witness questioning and cross examination to bring out the evidence that will benefit their case and poke holes in the prosecution's case against their client. In the end, they will present to the jury a closing statement, which will run back over all of the evidence they presented and remind the jury that they cannot vote for conviction unless they are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt.