When Is The Best Time To Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney?

No one ever wants to have to hire a criminal defense attorney, but if you have been arrested, it is in your best interest to hire a defense attorney. While you probably already know that you should hire a criminal defense attorney, you might not know when you should do so. Should you hire an attorney immediately after an arrest or wait until you are officially charged with a crime? Evidence shows that it is best to hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. If you’ve been arrested, it’s in your best interest to hire a defense attorney as soon as possible before you have been officially charged with a crime. If you can have an attorney by your side the moment you are in the back of a patrol car, the better. However, this is not possible.

Why Hire a Criminal Defense Attorney Without Delay?

As mentioned, it is best to hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after an arrest. Do not wait until you are officially charged with a crime to hire an attorney. If possible, it is best to have an attorney by your side before you give any statements to the police. But why should you hire a criminal defense lawyer without delay after an arrest?

Firstly, hiring a criminal defense immediately after an arrest can prevent you from telling the police things that could be used against you. Remember, police often try to trick criminal suspects into making self-incriminating statements. Also, keep in mind that you have the privilege against self-incrimination.

Hiring a criminal defense attorney immediately after an arrest can help you avoid facing criminal charges. Imagine waiting until you are officially charged with a crime to hire a criminal defense attorney, only to find out that you could have avoided getting charged if you had hired an attorney sooner. A criminal charge on your criminal record, even without a conviction, can affect you in many negative ways. For example, it can affect your ability to get a job. Some employers refuse to hire job applicants based on what they find on their criminal records.

So, how can an attorney prevent official charges from being filed against you? There are several ways an attorney can do this. For example, they could convince the police and the prosecutor that their evidence against you is not enough to convict you. The police and prosecutor have the burden of proving your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt if you are charged with a crime. If the evidence is insufficient, filing charges and proceeding with the case wastes everyone’s time and resources.

Lastly, if you hire a criminal defense attorney immediately after your arrest, you can obtain evidence before it is altered or destroyed. For example, if there is surveillance footage somewhere that can help prove you are innocent, you want to recover a copy of it before it is erased. When it comes to how long establishments keep surveillance footage before deleting it, it can range anywhere from a few days to some months.

Contact an NYC Criminal Defense Attorney

If you’ve been arrested, do not hesitate to contact a criminal defense attorney. Our skilled and dedicated NYC criminal defense attorney, Mark I. Cohen, is here for you. Call us at 212-732-0002 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

law.cornell.edu/wex/self-incrimination#:~:text=According%20to%20this%20Constitutional%20right,States%20through%20the%20Fourteenth%20Amendment