What should you do if you are charged with a crime in Las Vegas? Hire a criminal defense lawyer! Here’s why

If you have committed a crime, chances are you are nervous, scared, and unsure about what you should do and what will happen to you in the future. This is an uncertain period that is filled with stress, disappointment, and anger. However, certain professionals in the legal field can help you out of a sticky situation and regain your life. 

By finding the right professional who is knowledgeable about the court system, legal proceedings, and the laws that you may or may not have broken, you can reduce the chances of jail time, probation, or paying hefty fines.

Let’s see why hiring a professional to help you prepare for trial, fight your court case, gather specific evidence, and teach you how to behave in the legal proceedings is absolutely essential to reducing your sentence, preventing getting sentenced in the first place, and saving your hard-earned money from going towards bail or expensive fines.

Why should I hire a Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer?

You may be wondering what a criminal defense lawyer does and why they are essential. If you have been charged with a crime, say in the Las Vegas area, finding a Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer within your budget and who has knowledge of the legal proceedings are essential to safeguarding your future. 

What does a criminal defense lawyer do?

First, you need to know what a criminal defense lawyer does in court. Criminal defense lawyers, also known as criminal defense attorneys, investigate the facts, analyze the case against their clients, and try to score deals with the prosecutors to help you get the best outcome possible. 

The deals your criminal defense lawyer may negotiate with the opposing side can vary depending on the severity of the case and the crime. Some of these deals may include a reduced monetary bail, reduced charges (dropping from a felony to a misdemeanor), or reducing your sentence (3 years jail time to only probation). 

Due to various factors that come into play with legal proceedings, making deals with the prosecutors has become one of the most essential facets of keeping people out of jail and reducing sentences. Your Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer can help keep you from having a hard time by arguing for the overcrowded jail system, public pressure towards your case, and crowded hearing calendars that can prevent you from having a speedy trial.

In addition, your Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer will also help examine witnesses, create a plea deal, inspect the case of the opposing side, assess the likelihood of the sentences the judge will give to you, review the proper police procedures, question potential witnesses to the crime, and formulate evidence for your case. 

Lastly, your criminal defense lawyer will provide personalized services to you as their client. They help the defendant understand the possible outcomes and how they would like to proceed in court. In some instances, if the license finds they are guilty and they want to reap the consequences, they may go against the advice of their counsel and opt for a jail sentence over probation. However, in most cases, the defendant wants to have the least harmful sentence possible.

Cost of hiring a Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer

When it comes to finding legal representation to help you in your court case, you need to make sure you can find one within your budget. Unfortunately, this is often the most challenging part for low-income levels who can’t afford to shell out thousands of dollars on expensive lawyers and retainer fees. 

Private criminal defense lawyers typically charge around $150-$200 per hour for their work. If they use a set fee, you will have a better idea of what will cost you upfront to use their services. Criminal lawyers are not allowed to charge contingency fees, ensuring defendants don’t take advantage of them during the court proceedings. 

If you do not have enough money to pay for a criminal defense lawyer, a judge will have to appoint counsel for you to provide the right to legal representation. Under the law, everyone has the opportunity to be represented in court. In this case, you will have a free defense lawyer who will help you fight the possibility of incarceration.

Public vs. private criminal defense lawyer

If you can’t afford a private criminal defense lawyer, you will have a public counsel assigned to you to help fight your case. Unfortunately, in this case, public counsel is often overworked, underpaid, and not clear with the detail of all of the working cases. 

Public defenders have a higher workload due to the high number of clients who cannot pay the extensive fees for legal representation. In this case, ensure your public defender has the details of your case, knows how you want to proceed, and any other extenuating circumstances. 

Self-representation 

In rare cases, the defendant may choose to represent themselves during court proceedings. Although we recommend using a Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer to help you avoid jail time, some individuals think that they have the tools, evidence, and skills to negotiate their case in court. 

A judge will decide if someone can go “pro se” or self-represent their case in court. These factors include the seriousness of the crime, the defendant’s language skills, the defendant’s education level, the understanding of the case by the defendant, and if the defendant knowingly consents to give up rights to their criminal defense lawyer.

Conclusion

After committing a crime, it may seem like your life is over – however, this is the time when you need to stay calm, do some research, and find the best Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer to help you fight your case. 

When reaching a defense lawyer, make sure you find one who has good reviews, extensive education, past wins in court cases, understands your case, takes the time to analyze the opposition, and provides the necessary evidence to help you win the proceedings. 

A criminal defense lawyer has an essential job of understanding the case, seeing both sides, and ensuring your side comes out as the truth and the “right” one. This way, you can avoid jail time, paying heavy fines, or serving probation.