A criminal lawyer is one expert you want to have in your corner. This is because this highly trained professional has the skills and experience to get you out of tight corners and help you stay on the right side of the law. Before talking about some of the things your legal expert can do for you, let us take a look at the training of the average criminal lawyer.
Becoming a Lawyer in the US
If you want to become a lawyer in the US, you need to study full time for a minimum of seven years after you graduate from high school. First, you should complete an undergraduate course in a recognized university. It takes a minimum of four years to complete an undergraduate course. After you get this degree, you take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). If you pass the test, you attend law school for three years and get the Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA certified institution. With your JD degree in your bag, you are now a lawyer but you are not yet a Barrister-at-Law. Before you become a qualified attorney (barrister), you must pass the Bar Examination. When you pass this examination, you are now an eminently qualified legal practitioner. In fact, you are now a lawyer, a barrister and a solicitor among other things.
Specializing in Criminal Law
At this point, you are not a specialist criminal lawyer but this does not mean you cannot practice criminal law. You can take a Master’s degree in criminal law and specialize in this branch of the law. You can also join a law firm and learn the ropes from senior criminal lawyers. Now, this may sound like too much training but it is great preparation for the job this expert has to do for clients and the larger society. Now that we know what a criminal lawyer is, let us look at some of the benefits of having a criminal lawyer.
Benefits of Having a Criminal Lawyer
You do not have to wait until you get into trouble with the law before you hire a criminal lawyer. In fact, your lawyer can help you stay out of trouble because this expert knows both the right and wrong sides of the law. Specifically, your lawyer can do the following things for you.
Offer Financial Advice
If you are a well-paid professional or a successful business person, you might be a target for white collar criminals that want to dupe you of your money. With a sound criminal lawyer by your side, you will not fall victim to scammers and con artists. Your lawyer will scrutinize all agreements before you sign them and will sniff out any deal that looks suspicious.
Get You Compensation
In case you have a medical malpractice case or you have not been treated fairly by your employer, your lawyer will help you get adequate compensation from the court. Just tell the lawyer the truth of the matter and he or she will file a case to get you redress.
Take Care of Family Law Issues
Technically, matters like divorce, inheritance, child custody battles and prenuptial agreements fall under the family law. This is not to say that your criminal lawyer cannot give you excellent advice on these and other issues. In case you have issues that border on family law, talk to your criminal lawyer because he or she will offer excellent advice. Your lawyer might even recommend the right family law specialist if he or she will not handle the case for you.
Defending You in Court
In case you find yourself on the wrong side of the law, your criminal lawyer will do all it takes to defend you in court. Maybe you have been accused of committing a crime. Your lawyer will tell you that every accused person is considered innocent until the court pronounces him or her guilty. Your lawyer’s job, in this case, is to ensure that the prosecution does not prove its case against you. If it is a civil case, your lawyer will help you reach a favorable out-of-court settlement with the other party. Even if it looks like the case is going against you, your lawyer can plead mitigating circumstances to get you a lenient sentence, a fine or a suspended sentence.
Defense for DUI Cases
If you drive a car in Los Angeles or any other part of the US, you need an excellent DUI lawyer. This is because if you are arrested for Driving Under the Influence, this might have serious implications. If you are convicted, you may lose your license, your vehicle might be impounded or you may even go to jail. You do not want any of these things to happen so you should get an excellent DUI lawyer in Los Angeles to defend you. Consult a competent and experienced DUI lawyer and give all facts of the case to this expert. Your lawyer will take notes, do some research and find a way to get you off the hook.
Final Word
It pays to have a great criminal lawyer on your side. Find the right expert and your lawyer will defend you in court and out of court.