Are Criminal Charges Threatening Your Lifestyle? Here's How to Legally Protect Yourself
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By PAGE Editor
If you face criminal charges, it can completely turn your life upside down and change many things. It impacts your job, career, and social life, as well as your family’s well-being, all of which is quite challenging and emotionally taxing to deal with. However, you can take certain steps to protect yourself legally and fight against such accusations, and in that way, help yourself overcome this hardship. Let’s check out some of the most important things to do if criminal charges are threatening your lifestyle.
You have the right to remain silent
When facing criminal accusations, one of the fundamental rights you have is to stay silent. This is especially important when law enforcement starts questioning you, as without your lawyer being present there, you can unintentionally say something that can be perceived as accepting the blame and making your situation even harder than it is.
So, do your best to resist answering any questions without your lawyer or sharing any information or alibis. Your words, no matter how harmless you may think they are, can put you in an unfavorable position, especially when you don’t know how to explain something. So, the right to remain silent is in your best interest, and use it if your lawyer is not by your side to help you go through this stage.
Get a lawyer
Hiring a competent criminal defense lawyer will help you fight criminal accusations and get your reputation back. Of course, you must choose someone who has enough experience and expertise to represent you in court and fight for your rights, and thorough research or trustworthy recommendations from family and friends can help you find such a person. For example, if you are accused of domestic violence in Denver, then Denver lawyers for domestic violence cases can help you understand your rights, laws, and the gravity of these offenses, which can carry lifelong consequences.
They will examine your case, interview witnesses, collect important pieces of evidence, and look for other things or mistakes that can turn the case in your favor. Also, they will work on a strong defense plan, collecting everything it takes to prove your innocence and help you get through this. The legal system is complex and can be quite confusing at times, so you should hire an experienced lawyer to help you overcome this situation, as without them, you will probably be lost and at a greater risk of losing your reputation and a chance to fight off criminal charges.
Collect evidence and witnesses
In any legal case, evidence and witness testimonials are necessary to prove your side of the story and protect your rights. So, your lawyer should work closely with you to help you collect such evidence that can show what exactly happened and prove your innocence.
Also, witnesses who can tell where you were at a specific time and prove your alibi will be a huge help when you go to court. Of course, your lawyer must collect this evidence according to the law and respect all the legal deadlines. This evidence can contain everything from fingerprints, DNA samples, contracts, receipts, messages, social media posts, recordings from surveillance cameras, etc. Such evidence is crucial in building a strong defense strategy and proving your innocence.
Avoid any legal troubles
You must stay responsible and avoid any further legal troubles that can put you into more problems and complicate your case. For example, the court may order you to stay away from some people or places, or not to leave the country, in which case you must abide by these rules. If you don’t do so, you risk being seen as someone who doesn’t respect the court and does not care about the seriousness of the case and accusations.
This will bring you no good, so do your best to show your professionalism and nice behavior, as this will positively impact the court’s impression of your personality. Also, any small dispute or legal offense can put you in more danger, so avoid them at all costs. This way, you will show the court you care about protecting your rights and respecting their authority, which will only strengthen your defense.
Seek expungement
Criminal charges can influence many things in your life, including your job, reputation, career, and personal relationships, all of which have serious consequences for your future. Those charges typically stay on your record, which can have many negative consequences for your future, so you can face discrimination and other obstacles. However, if you fulfill certain requirements, you can seek expungement, which means you can ask for those records to be deleted or hidden from the public.
These requirements typically include serving out a term or waiting for some period. Always consult your attorney before seeking expungement, as conditions and the whole process can be much different from state to state, so you should be aware of how this process works where you live. This opportunity allows you to start over with a better chance to be successful and lead a happy and fulfilling life, even after fighting such hardship.
Consider the legal costs
Having a financial plan when dealing with criminal charges can help you get through this situation as easily as possible, as you will most likely need to spend some money while proving your innocence. Lawyer fees, court fees, and other costs can all mount up and cause you much stress if you don’t know how to deal with this, so a financial plan will help you a lot.
Some lawyers, for example, offer free consultation services and work on a contingency basis, meaning that you will pay them only if they win your case, which is much better than paying them from the very beginning. Also, you can seek help from public defenders for a lower price, all of which will help you recover financially and worry less about the money.
Fighting against criminal charges takes a toll on your physical and mental well-being, and if you don’t know how to approach this situation, it will be much harder for you to recover and get back your reputation. So, you must understand your legal rights and exercise them to keep your lifestyle and reduce the burden and hardship of criminal conviction.
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