When To Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney In Sioux City Iowa

By Mattie MacDonald


Nobody wants to even think about the possibility of being arrested. It is a shameful and stressful experience, especially if the arrest is made in a public place or in front of the family. A large number of arrests are made each year. Many of those accused of committing crimes are normally law abiding citizens. It is not only hardened felons that break the law. However, anyone that is arrested should immediately seek help from a criminal defense attorney in Sioux City Iowa.

When arrested, it is important to remember that every accused have certain basic rights. Experts agree that it is best to exercise those rights, at least until a lawyer has been appointed and consulted. Accused should refrain from making statements or from admitting to anything before they have been advised by their lawyers. Many accused are nervous and flustered. In such a state they may easily say something that can prove detrimental to their own interests.

One of the first priorities of the lawyer will be to make bail arrangements. Bail allows the accused to go free until the case is heard by a court of law. Sometimes bail can be arranged with the arresting authorities directly but in some cases the accused will have to appear in front of a judge. A bail amount will be set and this must be paid in cash.

Bail is only granted if the judge is convinced that the accused will not interfere with the ongoing investigation. The accused may also not make contact with witnesses or anyone else involved in the case. If he does he can be arrested again and there may even be additional charges against him. The lawyer will explain these conditions to his client.

Plea bargaining is a common practice and in many cases lawyers will expedite the cases of their clients by following this route. The prosecutor is approached and the accused agree to plead guilty on specific charges. In exchange he gets a lesser sentence. This practice aims to streamline the justice system and to finalize cases quickly and efficiently. The main benefit for the accused is that the matter is kept out of open court.

Clients should never lie to their lawyers and neither should they conceal any information. Lawyers cannot defend their clients if they are not in possession of all the relevant facts. In fact, many lawyers will resign a case where the defendant lied to them. This will cost the accused both time and money and his case may be seriously jeopardized.

Many people never plan for an eventuality where they will have to pay large amounts to a lawyer. The best course of action is to buy legal insurance at a young age. Arguing that it is a waste of money because no legal representation is foreseen is like refusing to buy medical insurance because one is healthy.

A conviction is a very serious matter. When arrested or even when there is only a possibility of an arrest a lawyer should be appointed immediately. Nobody should ever attempt to defend themselves against criminal charges even when utterly innocent.




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