There are many different ways to defend against allegations of criminal actions. Some of the possibilities are to prove insanity, automatism, mistake of fact or self-defense. As someone who is willing to admit that you did commit a crime and made a mistake, you may be asking what the best options are.
You can’t blatantly lie on the stand if you go to court, but you also don’t want to be found guilty. What should you do?
Follow these guidelines
The first thing to remember is that your attorney is well-trained in being able to craft a story that puts you in the best possible light. For example, if you steal money from a convenience store, the prosecution might take the angle that you were aggressive and using the money to access drugs or alcohol.
Your defense attorney may also admit that you committed the crime but that your intentions were to feed your family or because of falling on hard times. The difference is in how the story comes off the jury. People are more likely to reduce or eliminate penalties against those whom they believe have been dealt a poor hand.
Key perks of legal advocacy
Your defense attorney also has the job or making sure evidence is available at the time of a trial and that witnesses are interviewed carefully. On top of that, your attorney will try to guarantee that no one with an obvious bias will be on the jury if you have to go to trial.
In most cases, it’s possible for defendants to settle their cases before they go to court. This could be a possibility in your case, too, but only if it has a guaranteed outcome that is acceptable. For example, you may take a plea deal that eliminates the conviction if you follow through on anger management classes or community service in exchange for not going to trial where you’d risk a jail sentence.
Every case is different. Your attorney will find out what kinds of charges are being placed against you and the likelihood of walking away with fewer or more penalties if you go to trial with a jury.
Your attorney’s goal is to protect your best interests every step along the way. That can mean helping prove that you’re innocent or helping you reduce the penalties you face. Everyone’s case is going to be different, so having a discussion about the possible outcomes will help you know where you stand.
