Criminal Law: Why You Need Representation

Business

By Contributing Author

Legal actions are generally divided into two classes. One is known as civil law while the other is known as criminal law. If you’re facing charges that are associated with the latter, it’s imperative that you contact one of the criminal law barristers and solicitors and obtain representation as quickly as possible. Here are some basics that you need to understand, including what a criminal lawyer can do in terms of mounting a defense.

What is Criminal Law?

Criminal law is defined as a body of law that identifies offenses that are considered to be criminal under current laws and statues. Along with what qualifies as a criminal action, the body of law also governs the methods that may be used for apprehending, charging, and bringing to trial any person or persons who are accused of performing a criminal action. Further, criminal law includes codes that determine the type of penalties and other punitive actions that may be taken, depending on the nature of the crime.

What Are Some Examples of Criminal Cases?

There are several serious crimes that are pursued as criminal cases. Murder is a prime example. Whether the murder was premeditated, occurred due to negligence, or took place on the spur of the moment, it’s still considered a criminal case.

Assault is another example of a criminal case. That includes incidents that involve the sexual violation of another person, acts of violence that lead to injuries, and other intentional acts that result in the physical harm of another human being.

Burglary is also classed as a criminal offense. This involves the theft of property in any form. It could have to do with breaking into a private residence and stealing the belongings of the owner. It could also involve breaking and entering a place of business with the intent to stead proprietary data such as client lists, financial information, or research related to the development of new products.

What Can a Criminal Defence Lawyer Do For Me?

The most common definition of criminal defence lawyers is a legal counsel who is engaged in the act of representing someone who has been accused of committing a criminal act. As the legal counsel for the defendant, the lawyer seeks to bring out details that could possibly create reasonable doubt in the mind of the court of the jury. When there is no question that the defendant did commit the acts as charged, the lawyer may seek to introduce facts that provide the court with reasons to allow whatever degree of leniency is possible under the current laws.

Working With Your Defence Lawyer

Full disclosure is the name of the game if you’re arrested for a criminal act. The goal is to provide your legal counsel with all the facts surrounding the events before, during, and after the alleged incident. Even if some of those details strike you as embarrassing or not really relevant, tell the lawyer anyway. Data that you hide is likely to be brought out by the prosecution at some point. If your legal counsel is already aware of those activities, it’s possible to find a way to minimize their importance to the court.

Don’t attempt to deal with a criminal charge alone. Seek legal help immediately. Doing so increases the odds of ensuring the truth comes out in court and that you have at least some chance of arriving at the best possible conclusion.