Even merely being accused of a crime can be stressful and disorienting. Being convicted will inevitably be far worse, with many facing lifelong consequences thereafter.
The American justice system is designed to make it less likely that innocent people will be wrongly convicted. The adversarial nature of that system, though, means that this protection is afforded only to those who are well represented by their lawyers. Criminal Defense Attorneys play an important role in ensuring that only people who are actually guilty of committing crimes will be punished for them.
A Form of Legal Representation That is Critical to the Health of Civil Society
No society can persist for long if harmful, criminal behavior is allowed to run rampant. People can only lead secure, satisfying lives when they can be mostly confident of their personal safety.
At the same time, a legal system that is overly cavalier about handing out punishment will inevitably end up inflicting harm and hardship on entirely innocent people. A balance needs to be struck between discouraging criminal behavior and making sure that only criminals end up serving sentences.
In the United States, this is accomplished by pitting two parties against each other in court and in any associated negotiations. Prosecutors are expected to develop and present the strongest possible cases they can against people they accuse of committing crimes.
On the other side, defendants need to have access to similarly informed, vigorous, committed representation. An attorney who argues a criminal defense case, regardless of the facts in question, is always serving an important purpose.
Effective Representation in Cases of All Kinds
That means attorneys will sometimes be called upon to represent people who have been accused of especially serious crimes like murder. More often, this type of representation is deployed in defense of people in cases involving:
Drugs. Even though attitudes about certain substances have been evolving, many types of drugs are still illegal to sell, possess, and use. Drug Crimes can lead to sentences of many years in prison, along with large fines and other sanctions.
DUI. Responsible adults never get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating substance. Convictions for DUI Crimes are often met with penalties that make life very difficult for a long time come.
Domestic violence. Too many victims of domestic violence end up suffering for years without relief. Domestic assault and battery are treated harshly by the courts.
Attorneys who represent clients who have been accused of crimes like these and others help make sure that innocent people will not be wrongly convicted. Defendants who have access to effective legal representation inevitably fare better in court than others.
Drug Crimes 