What Is A Defense Strategy?
When facing charges for a crime, you will need to hire a criminal lawyer for assistance. One of the primary steps the lawyer will complete is coming up with a defense strategy. You need to understand what a defense strategy is when facing charges, as this will help you learn what to expect in your case. Here are three essential things you should know about defense strategies in criminal cases.
What a Defense Strategy Is
If you are facing charges, the court will label you as the defendant in the case. A defendant faces criminal charges and must "defend" himself or herself. To do this, he or she hires a criminal defense attorney, and this attorney creates a defense strategy.
As the name implies, a defense strategy is a plan that a defendant uses to defend himself or herself. Your lawyer creates the idea and explains it to you. The lawyer may then coach you with the plan so that you know what to say and do in court.
Common Types of Strategies that Lawyers Use
Lawyers can come up with any strategy they deem worthwhile, but there are common ones that attorneys use often. Here are some of these:
- Alibi – An alibi is a person willing to testify that they were with you when the crime took place. The point of an alibi is proving you could not be guilty of the crime because someone is verifying that you were somewhere else during it.
- Reasonable doubt – This theory rests on the fact that the court does not have enough proof to convict you of the charges. Your lawyer offers enough testimony and evidence to make the court wonder whether you committed the crime.
- Self-defense – A third strategy is by stating you were defending yourself in the situation, and that you acted only to protect yourself.
To determine which plan to use, your lawyer must carefully review and analyze all the evidence present.
The Objective of a Defense Strategy
Creating a defense strategy is something lawyers do for one purpose – to help a defendant get the best possible outcome for a case. The ultimate goal is for the court to pronounce the defendant "innocent" of all charges. If this does not occur, though, the strategy may help the court decide to reduce the charges.
If you have charges to face and need help, contact a criminal defense law attorney about your situation.
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