What happens if you Cannot afford to hire someone to defend you in court?

In criminal cases, if you cannot afford a lawyer, the court will appoint a lawyer for you, like a public defender. Some people choose to represent themselves even if they could pay a lawyer because they feel they can handle the case on their own.

Do you always need a lawyer?

While you don’t necessarily need an attorney in every legal matter (i.e. a minor traffic ticket), there a few situations when it’s in your best interest to hire a lawyer. It’s also a good idea to hire a lawyer to help with matters that have possible legal ramifications.

How do you defend a criminal case?

8 key factors drive what your best defense strategy is:

1. Defendant’s explanation of what happened, why and credibility.
2. Witness testimony and credibility.
3. Provable facts and physical evidence.
4. Police reports, errors and credibility.
5. Expert, 3rd party reports and testimony.

What happens if evidence is tampered with?

Penalties. Typically a charge of Evidence Tampering in California is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in county jail. A conviction of Evidence Tampering involving law enforcement officers is a felony punishable by two to five years in state prison.

Can a lawyer represent a client who thinks they are guilty?

This means that criminal defense attorneys are required to do their best to advocate for their clients, even if the attorney believes the client is guilty. For more information, see Representing a Client Whom the Lawyer Thinks Is Guilty. Attorneys cannot, however, present evidence or arguments that they know to be false.

Can an attorney argue that you did not commit a crime?

You admit to your attorney that you were smoking a joint with a group of friends. Your attorney cannot argue that you did not commit the crime. But, the attorney can argue that the prosecutor has not proved that you committed the crime.

Why won’t my criminal defense attorney talk to me about my case?

Most (but not all) criminal defense attorneys want their clients to tell them everything—the good, the bad, and the ugly—because an attorney cannot defend against what he or she does not know. Some attorneys, however, do not want to talk to their clients about the case because they do not want to be limited in pursuing a defense.

Can a defense attorney prove a non-guilty client is guilty?

And besides: A defense attorney who knows their non-guilty-pleading client is guilty can actually go through the process without ever explicitly claiming that the client is innocent. In order to convict someone for a crime, the prosecuter must prove the clients guilt beyond reasonable doubt.