Franklin Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have been accused of a crime, you shouldn’t handle it on your own. You want to make sure you preserve your legal rights. You can accomplish this by having the right criminal defense lawyer on your side.
But you don’t want just any criminal defense lawyer. You want one with a lot of skill and knowledge. You need someone who knows all the protections available to you under the law.
Franklin criminal defense attorneys are beneficial for those who are in trouble with the law. All criminal prosecutions are based upon evidence gathered by the government. The Constitution offers many protections that apply to criminal defense law. The Fourth Amendment, Fifth Amendment, and Sixth Amendment offers various legal rights to criminal defendants.
Plea Bargains
Most criminal cases never go to court because the defendant and the prosecuting attorney will agree on a settlement known as a plea bargain. This is when the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a more lenient sentence. Those seeking a plea bargain can choose one of two approaches. They can make the prosecutor’s job more difficult and make them get rid of the case through a plea bargain. They can also fully cooperate, show remorse, and convince the prosecutor that they have changed their criminal ways.
Common Defenses
A criminal defense lawyer helps clients come up with defenses such as the following:
- Burden of proof. In a criminal case, the prosecutor has the burden of proof. This means that the prosecutor must prove the case against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. This standard applies to each element of the crime. If this burden is not met, the defendant should not be convicted.
- Self-defense. A self-defense claim is sometimes made in offenses such as assault or murder. This defense may apply if the victim harmed the defendant or threatened to do so. Defense of others is also under this category and can be used when someone tries to harm a family member of the defendant.
- Defense of property. Defense of property is when someone defends their property from those seeking to steal the property. However, lethal force is not justified in these situations.
- Alibi defense. This is a defense that shows that the defendant could not have committed the crime because they were somewhere else when the crime was committed. This requires sufficient and credible evidence, such as witness accounts, receipts, or security footage.
- Statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is the time period by which legal action must be taken. Different crimes have different statutes of limitations, and they can also vary by state. A prosecutor must file charges before the time is up and they will be forever barred from doing so.
Contact Us Today
Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors are against the accused. They have a lot of resources at their disposal, which means those accused of crimes must look for the best legal representation possible.
The law firm of Beal | Crutcher can provide you with the help you need. Contact our firm for the best criminal defense. Schedule a consultation today by calling (615) 861-2304.
