Criminal Arraignment And The Importance Of Criminal Defense Attorney

Despite a very popular opinion, people, who are suspected in committing a crime, are not being charged right there and then, on their first court appearance. As the matter of fact, first appearance in court is referred to as an arraignment. Many people are wondering, whether they need a legal representative during this meeting or not.

The simple answer to this question is yes – you undoubtedly need an attorney alongside you during the arraignment. First of all, you need to understand that during that very same arraignment you will be given a chance to enter in a plea bargain. You will have the opportunity to plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. Pleading guilty means that you pretty much confess to the crime and will be sentenced immediately, right there on the spot. Pleading not guilty will mean that you are not agreeing with the possible charges and will fight against it. Finally, pleading no contest will mean that you are not admitting your guilt, nor are trying to dispute it.

It is also important to understand that you will be given zero to none information regarding the case, all the evidence against you and any factors that may have an impact on a final verdict. Furthermore, you will have an opportunity to discuss the potential plea bargain with the prosecutor. What most people do not understand is the fact that vast majority of prosecutors want to, well, prosecute you. It is pretty much their job and they will do anything in their power to make you enter a plea bargain and plead guilty. It is a very dangerous factor that may impact your whole case from the start and most people will break under arguments presented by the prosecution.

With that said, this is one of the many reasons why it is so important to have a qualified as well as genuinely experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney by your side, even during the arraignment. After all, a good lawyer is going to help you make a right decision in line with all available facts. He is going to go through all the available evidence, discuss the case with the judge and the prosecution and will present his very own arguments to them. Most importantly, he will prevent you from making a bad decision and will advice you on the plea bargain and how it may influence your case.

Actions of a good attorney are going to be based on all sorts of arguments around the case, including those that may well be the most influential for you. He will assess all circumstances and will present his conclusions during the arraignment.

Therefore, if you or your loved ones are preparing to face the court for the very first time and are still considering, whether you should get in touch with a qualified lawyer, do not hesitate and use this chance to make the most from the professional legal representation. Making a decision on your own, without knowing laws and legal regulations, may be absolutely detrimental for you and could result in a harsh sentence that will ruin your life for good, which is surely the last thing you want.

Los Angeles Criminal Specialists, https://www.losangeles-criminaldefense.org