Criminal lawyers represent people who are facing charges in state, federal, or appellate courts. These lawyers may be involved with parole or probation hearings, bail bonds, trials, and even appeals post-conviction.
Criminal lawyers have a lot of responsibilities to ensure that their clients are treated fairly according to the law. They should know the law thoroughly and know when and how they need to research details about the law. In order to build a case, they need to be good investigators and interviewers, as well as savvy strategists. Criminal lawyers can also negotiate or plea bargain for lesser charges with the prosecution, so they must be good negotiators. They are also responsible for filing motions, including to dismiss or suppress. Most importantly, they are there to be an advocate for their clients in what is usually a very stressful situation.
A good criminal lawyer knows how to argue orally as well as on paper. It is their responsibility to build a thorough case that is based on evidence and to follow the law closely.
