what ways can a criminal defense lawyer help bail

by Andreane Lowe 9 min read

The criminal lawyer can present your bail application properly as per the needs of the situation. They can help you get the bail application to the court, address the issues that are in your favor, and help you receive the bail quickly from the police custody. Here, selecting the proper criminal lawyer will help you win the case in your favor.

Your attorney will also be able to help you decide whether or not to post bail immediately or wait until after your arraignment. If you post bail immediately, your attorney can start working on your case and negotiating with the prosecutor to either lower your charges or get the case completely dismissed.

Full Answer

1. Investigate the Case

After taking on your case, criminal defense attorneys investigate to find any loopholes that could help avoid the conviction or negotiate a reduced sentence. The investigation involves reviewing evidence, talking to witnesses and the police, and collecting any available information about the case.

2. Hire and Manage Investigators

To obtain vital information in a criminal case, you may need to hire private investigators. An attorney can find and manage these specialists.

3. Handle Paperwork

Any criminal case involves a substantial amount of paperwork. Mistakes made with gathering, filing out, and filing documents could compromise your defense. An attorney handles all the case-related paperwork, so you do not have to worry about it.

4. Offer an Objective Perspective

Defendants often have a distorted understanding of what their options are. You could be hoping for an unrealistic outcome or planning for severe punishment.

5. Negotiate With Prosecutors

A lawyer can reduce the penalty in many criminal cases by negotiating a deal with the prosecutor. If this option works for you, an attorney can use their experience and expertise to negotiate a plea bargain and help minimize the sentence.

6. Select the Jury

When it comes to jury selection, a criminal defense attorney can remove any jurors that may appear biased.

7. Take You Through the Trial

If your case goes to trial, a criminal defense lawyer can handle all aspects of the process, including:

What Is Bail?

If you get arrested in Massachusetts, you will be given a date for your first court date, known as the arraignment hearing. This is where you will hear the specific criminal charges being entered against you and give your plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. The prosecutor can request bail at the arraignment hearing, if desired.

How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help With Bail

There are constitutional limits to how much a court can impose on a defendant in terms of bail. The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution prohibits “excessive bail.” There is not a specific amount given that qualifies as excessive.

What to Expect at a Bail Reduction Hearing

At a bail reduction hearing, your attorney will present evidence to show why it is reasonable for you to seek a lower bail. Your attorney can craft an argument based on your specific circumstances and what will give you the best odds of achieving a lower bail.

Contact an Attorney in Massachusetts Today

The amount that bail is set at in a criminal court case in Massachusetts depends on many different factors. The best way to protect yourself from a bail amount that is unreasonable or that you cannot pay is to hire an attorney to defend your rights from the very beginning – before your arraignment hearing.

Delayed trial time

If you do not show up with a lawyer, you will not be aware of the trial timelines and the corresponding procedure that you have to do. So there might be a possibility where you might mess up something, and your trial is postponed.

Chances of you being convicted may increase

This is the most severe consequence you might face if you are representing yourself all by yourself without a criminal defense attorney. Any small mistake done even in the initial stages can take a toll on you or your case during your verdict.

Likely to spend more time in Prison

This is another common repercussion you may face if you are representing yourself alone. This is because when you are representing yourself, you are already making a perception of yourself that you lack legal knowledge and are not aware of your rights.

How to Choose a Good Criminal Defense Attorney?

Most people assume that a general practitioner can provide counsel for crime allegations. But, this is not right. Criminal defense attorneys can help you deal with the situation in the correct manner. The attorney has to move fast, and at the same time, he has to dig deep enough to cover any loopholes.

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