This is a professional that can be hired to defend both individuals and legal entities. In a legal setting, they are known as the defendant and have been arrested on suspicion of illegal activity. This attorney may also be called a criminal attorney or defense attorney/attorney. They are responsible for representing people in court who have been accused of some type of criminal activity. In court, the jury and the judge will decide if the defendant is innocent or guilty. A criminal defense attorney must have a good understanding of how the court system and the law work. Typically, after attending law school, they will have many years of work experience. Working as criminal defense attorneys, they may be appointed by the court if the defendant cannot afford a lawyer or if the defendant is able to hire one. A good lawyer can be very expensive. They may charge an hourly rate of three hundred dollars or more, in addition to other fees.

The defendant will meet with the defense attorney to develop the best way to lessen the consequences of the illegal activity in which the defendant may have been involved. If the defendant is innocent, it will be the responsibility of the criminal defense attorney to prove this to the jury and judge. These attorneys also have the job of giving their client a reality check. This is especially true if they believe that there will be no consequences of any kind for the crime they are accused of committing. A criminal defense lawyer will also negotiate plea bargains with prosecutors, which will help reduce jail time or fees your defendant could face. This attorney could also help customize the sentence for your client which will help keep you out of trouble in the future, especially in family or juvenile court cases.

A good criminal defense lawyer will know the ins and outs of a local court circuit and will also know what tactics work for each judge when they are trying to get their client’s case dismissed or sentence reduced. They also know who has the power to decide different cases outside of the courtroom. They also know how to find little known laws that can help their client and can also use any legal means necessary to prove to the judge and jury that their client is not guilty. Some criminal defense attorneys will only handle low-profile cases heard in small county courtrooms, while others want to work on large, high-profile cases.