When you face any criminal charges, your liberty is potentially at stake. However, whatever the charges you are facing – from misdemeanor or felony to drug crime or sexual offenses – you are always entitled to lawful representation in the court of law. Without legal representation, your basic rights could be infringed upon. Therefore, you must hire a lawyer who can defend you in and has your best interest at heart.

An effective representation can not only decrease or eliminate the charges against you, but also save you from spending years in prison. In addition to gathering witnesses and evidence for your defense, a criminal defense lawyer can help you in several ways such as the following:

Get you a plea bargain

Your lawyer can work with the prosecutor to help negotiate a plea bargain for you. Plea bargains can not only result in reducing your potential sentence, but also eliminate some or all of the charges against you. On the other hand, prosecutors may be unwilling to negotiate with defendants who represent themselves.

Prevent you from incriminating yourself

Usually, people who prepare their own statements only manage to further incriminate themselves. In such a situation, your defense lawyer will keep you appraised of your legal rights and ensure that your case proceeds smoothly.

Ensure fair treatment by law enforcement

Prosecutors and police often use clever tactics to prove your guilt. Even circumstantial evidence can be used to implicate you under the parameters of law. Your criminal defense attorney can protect your rights, hold law enforcement authorities accountable for their actions and prevent them from taking any undue advantage of you.

Provide necessary insight on laws and statutes

It is difficult to know each aspect of the law and how it applies to your specific case without guidance from a well-versed attorney. A criminal defense lawyer has in-depth knowledge of the various local, federal and state laws and statutes. Hence, a legal practitioner can provide you with unique insights which can help reduce or eliminate any charges against you.