Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers Blog
When a person is arrested for a criminal offense, they are likely very worried about their future and the consequences they may face. There is a consistent negative stigma of getting arrested, and the feeling of having done something wrong and disappointing those around you.
It is important to know that many people are arrested daily without significant reason. The police officers are doing their job in arresting those that they feel MAY have committed an offense. This does not mean that you have been found GUILTY of anything. There is no conviction and you have yet to be proven guilty before a Judge and a Jury.
Many minor misdemeanor offenses rarely result in any jail time or a prison sentence. One of the purposes of the Court system is to deter people from committing repeated offenses. They do that by ensuring that people are properly warned on any first offense.
Unfortunately, due to all the stress and worry that people experience upon being arrested, they want the entire situation to go away. They appear at the first court hearing, the Arraignment, and plead guilty. This closes their case. They no longer have to go to court, they do not have to appear before a Judge, and they do not have to toss and turn the night before court completely worried about what they will do and what will happen the next day.
What people fail to understand is that just because they are done appearing in Court and their immediate anxiety is no longer there, does not mean that the negative consequences of the actual conviction has been eliminated. A conviction on your record could potentially affect your school or your career. That is why, any decision to plead guilty should not be based on an immediate desire to eliminate the negative feelings a person experiences after being arrested, but more so on a rational, analytical understanding of the charges against them and the potential consequences.
Hiring a Los Angeles Criminal Defense lawyer helps alleviate MANY of the negative feelings a person faces. First off, you do not have to appear in Court. An attorney does that for you. You do not have to worry about what you will say, what you will do , and whether or not you are making the right decision. An attorney will break down the strength of your case and inform you of the possible defenses available to you and how weak Prosecutor’s case may be. They will also advise you on whether or not you should take an offer or if you should argue and negotiation more.
It is natural to go through psychological turmoil upon being arrested, but there is a positive way to come out of it. Hiring an experienced and knowledgeable legal professional will do much more than help reduce or dismiss your case, it will give you the peace of mind you need!