Do You Need a Good Lawyer Even if You Are Guilty?
Whether or not you believe you are guilty of a crime, you will likely benefit from an experienced criminal defense lawyer helping you. The justice system is quite complicated and trying to navigate it alone can be like trying to find your way through a maze. There is almost always some degree of discretion that a prosecutor has in how they proceed with your case, and then the judge may have a tremendous amount of leeway in sentencing. The best criminal defense lawyer will know what the best outcome in your case will be and will be able to craft a strategy to improve the odds of achieving that result.
Take a look at our short video on whether you really need a lawyer even if you think that you are guilty.
At Kurtz & Blum, PLLC, we will comb through the facts of your case to find any available asset to use to your advantage in either trial or negotiations. We do our very best for all of our clients. Don’t you think we might be in a better position, as seasoned criminal defense attorneys, to determine how you should handle your case? Wouldn’t you agree that you would be better served by the representation of a good lawyer by than trying to go it alone?
Don’t forget that our law is crystal clear on this point: You are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Here is the transcript on our video on why you should hire a lawyer if you believe that you are guilty:
Seth A. Blum, Partner
The question is why should you hire a lawyer if you believe that you are guilty. First, it is the State’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Just because you are guilty does not mean the State is capable of proving it. Even though you may believe that the State has enough evidence to prove your guilt and even though you may believe that you are guilty, those are judgments that require the careful evaluation of a skilled, experienced trial lawyer. A perfect example is when someone who is charged with assault believes that they are guilty because they did, in fact, hit another person but they actually did the act reasonably believing that it was necessary to protect a third person from harm. Most people understand self-defense but not everyone understands defense of others. In this example, despite hitting another person, no crime was committed.
Howard A. Kurtz, Partner
Assuming for the moment that you are guilty of a crime and that the State can prove it, do you need a lawyer then? Again the answer is that you should have an attorney by your side. There is frequently a great deal of discretion that a prosecutor has when they’re making a decision about what to do in a particular case. A skilled attorney may be able to negotiate an agreement that would avoid your ever having to plead guilty if you are willing to do community service, substance abuse education, or anger management classes to name a few alternatives. And even if you were to plead guilty, a good lawyer might be able to arrange a plea to reduced charges.
Finally the judge has a great deal of discretion, or wiggle room, when it comes to sentencing. Depending on the charge it could easily be up to the judge whether or not someone is sentenced to probation versus whether someone is sentenced to prison time.
The mere fact that you believe you are guilty doesn’t change the fact that you should have a skilled and experienced advocate by your side. Good counsel can make a world of difference. Call us, we can help.
Our dedicated criminal defense lawyers assist people throughout Wake County, North Carolina. We frequently handle offenses arising out of the following cities: Wendell, Apex, Garner, Cary, Knightdale, Rolesville, New Hope, Morrisville, Zebulon, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, Raleigh and Holly Springs.
