A criminal defense lawyer is one who represents an individual who has been charged with the commission of a crime. The person who is charged is known as the defendant, the government is represented by the prosecutor. Although the prosecutor is acting in the interest of the victim, the victim is not directly represented as all criminal cases are prosecuted by the state; this is not the case in civil law.
Everyone charged with a crime has the right to be represented by a criminal lawyer in Timonium, MD. In the majority of cases the accused will opt for a state assigned lawyer for representation. Although public defenders are excellent lawyers, their case load is usually such that the defendant will not get the same attention and detailed defense and as such those that can afford it hire a private lawyer.
During a criminal proceeding it is the job of the defense attorney to cast doubt on the case of the prosecution and to otherwise defend the client vigorously. In the United States it is the prosecutions job to convince the jury that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Until such time as a defendant is found guilty, in the eyes of the law they remain innocent. The defense is not charged with the responsibility of proving the client’s innocence, under law that is a given. The accused must be proven guilty and during trial the criminal lawyer in Timonium, MD will produce evidence that will exonerate the accused if it exists.
The defense lawyer must vigorously represent the accused but there are limits. A defense lawyer cannot place a witness on the stand if he or she knows the witness is perpetuating a lie nor can the lawyer knowingly lie to the court. This is one reason why lawyers often do not want to know if their client is guilty, without being absolutely sure of the client’s guilt or innocence the lawyer’s defense strategy can be more flexible.
On the other hand there are cases when knowing the truth can be helpful as it can allow the lawyer to present the defense in such a way to mitigate the punishment where there is no plausible denial. This may be the case when there is no way to dispute guilt, in cases such as this they are often subject to plea-bargaining with the prosecution in hopes of getting a lesser sentence for the client.
If you need a criminal lawyer in Timonium, MD you are welcome to contact the Law Offices of Maria K. Caruso. Attorney Caruso will defend you case with vigor and skill.
