I get asked this question a lot. It’s actually strange because I don’t think someone having a heart attack asks a doctor in the emergency room why they need a doctor: the need is obvious. But with criminal defense, people do not understand the full repercussions of what they are facing:
1. You can go to jail on even a minor offense.
I have seen judges impose jail time for speeding. That’s right, just plain old speeding. You have to realize that a lot of what your penalty is going to be is determined by the judge. They’re given great flexibility within a wide framework. Even if you have a minor offense, the judge can send you to jail if they feel it’s necessary.
Much of the time, a great criminal defense attorney can prevent this.
2. The law does not take into account “collateral consequences.”
What do I mean by collateral consequences? Well, let’s say you love hunting. You get charged with even a minor disorderly conduct that is domestic violence related and you walk in without an attorney and plead guilty. You are now not allowed to own firearms or even ammunition. If you are found in possession, it is a felony and technically a federal offense that can be investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office (which does actually happen all the time).
Or, let’s say you get a minor misdemeanor marijuana conviction and the court just imposes a fine. You think it’s your lucky day. Well what no one told you is that your driver license is now suspended for six months.
There’s thousands of little things like this that a good, experienced criminal defense attorney can warn you about or avert all together. Don’t leave your future to chance.
3. Things can stay on your record for the rest of your life.
Not everything can come off your record. For example, if you plead to multiple offenses at the same time, even if they are minor offenses, you may not qualify for expungement and you will be stuck with those offenses on your record for the rest of your life.
In this economy, it’s difficult enough getting and keeping a job. The last thing you need are your potential employers pulling up criminal offenses.
4. Even a minor violation of probation can land you in jail for months.
Sometimes, prosecutors give what seems like a great deal to people that are unrepresented. But then they make the probation so strict that it’s nearly impossible to stick to. The person violates the probation, and then the judge can impose whatever punishment up to the maximum they feel like. Even on minor offenses, I’ve seen judges impose months in jail for a violation of probation. The only way to prevent something like that: have someone on your side that knows how to prevent it.
5. You might end up paying thousands of dollars unnecessarily if you don’t have an attorney.
I had a client once that went in and pled guilty to a DUI without an attorney. He got $1400 in fines and thought that wasn’t a bad deal. Then he began the treatment the court ordered. The treatment was $400 per month for ten months. An additional $4000 he didn’t need to pay if he just had an experienced criminal defense attorney there that could’ve pointed him in the right direction and told him not to go to certain providers.
Luckily, he hired us afterward and I negotiated on his case and had him go to a different provider that we recommended for $160. Saving him over $3800. If he had hired us beforehand, I could have saved him even more. As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
Moral of the Story.
Just as you wouldn’t be in an emergency room asking the doctor why you need a doctor, when you’re facing criminal charges, you shouldn’t be asking why you need a criminal defense attorney. You should be strategizing how to afford the best one possible to minimize the impact in your life.
Just do it and hire the best criminal defense attorney you can. In the long run you will be glad you did.
By Yossof Sharifi
Google
