Looking For A Criminal Defense Lawyer In Albuquerque?

If you need a criminal defense lawyer in Albuquerque, read this page before you do anything else.

In basketball, they say that a good defense is the best offense. The same goes when you have to go to trial because your life is on the line and the best way to prevent yourself from going to jail is by selecting a criminal defense lawyer who will be able to represent you when the evidence is presented.

Criminal defense lawyers are a special breed of individuals because they will do everything in their power to make sure their client does not go to jail.

Here are some commonly asked questions we get from people who are looking for a criminal defense lawyer.

Q: How Do I Find A Criminal Defense Lawyer For My Case?

A: When you are arrested for a crime, the only thing that can only help get out of a jam is with the help of a criminal defense lawyer. You can choose who wants to represent you which shouldn’t be a problem if you have money but if you don’t, you will have to settle with whoever the court appoints for you. But for those who can hire one, here are a few tips to help you select a professional.

First, when you meet the criminal defense lawyer, you should ask how long has he or she been practicing criminal law and also how many cases did they win. Surely you don’t want to work with a lawyer who is fresh out of college or has never won a case. You also don’t want to work with someone who chooses to settle the matter out of court very often because you will probably get the shorter end of the stick when you decide to go for the plea bargain.

The more years of experience this person has, the better because this professional should already know the ins and outs of the judicial system. That person may have already dealt with the prosecution in the past and knows how to get a winning verdict.

Naturally, you have to be comfortable with the lawyer who will be representing you in the case. He or she should be able to give you updates like when is the trial, what strategy will be used during trial and other matters that may help make the outcome go in your favor.

Since you are already in your office, be sure that the criminal defense lawyer you are speaking with will be the one who will actually defending you and not handed over to another person in the firm.

This is because a lot of the legal rules are hidden away in court interpretations of federal and state constitutions. A good example is whether or not the search of your home was reasonable. It can only be considered a good search if the police obtained a warrant otherwise anything found is not admissible in court.

Given that the criminal defense lawyer has crossed swords with the prosecution in the past, they are already familiar with the tactics that the opposing party will be using and be prepared for it.

As you can see, it is a very specialized field and there are many things that need to be checked out by your criminal defense lawyer before you are given a guilty or not guilty verdict.

When your case has been given to them, you will be asked what happened. You will have to give your version of the events that took place. After listening, they will provide you with a reality check especially what will happen should the case go to trial.

They will then review the police report, interview witnesses and examine the evidence. Since it is hard to look at everything on their own, they sometimes have researchers do it.

Q: How Do I Submit A Plea In Court?

A: When you are arraigned in court, you are required to submit a plea. You could plead guilty or not guilty while some do not give one yet and then prepare for the trial date.

If the evidence against you is overwhelming, perhaps your criminal defense lawyer can negotiate so you can get a lighter sentence or reduced charges. This can only happen if this is your first time or you have a criminal record and you have something to trade.

For those who want to go to trail, the criminal defense lawyer will now prepare your defense. This may sometimes mean taking up your stand and telling the court the events that took place. This may be risky so before hand, you will be briefed on what to say.

Witnesses will be presented. Some of these people will be able to aid in your defense while others will be against you so another job that the criminal defense lawyer will do is cross examine them in order to cast doubt in the testimony they are giving.

The trial is almost over when the criminal defense lawyer and the prosecution give their closing arguments. The jury will then be given time to deliberate the case so you will know the verdict when they come back into the court and read it.

If you get a not guilty verdict, the criminal defense lawyer was able to do their job since you are free. But if you are guilty, then the next step is to appeal the decision to a higher court and hopefully, they will overturn that decision.

What a criminal defense lawyer does is not easy because the person they are helping out could commit a similar crime again or even worse in the future. Sadly, this is how the justice system works because everyone has a right to counsel and tried before their peers.

Q: What Are The Legal Fees For A Criminal Defense Lawyer?

A: Given that the practice of criminal defense work is their bread and butter, you should also discuss the fee arrangements. Some lawyers charge a flat fee while others do it on an hourly basis. It is better to get a flat fee so you are not charged every time you have to consult your lawyer over the phone or in person. You should also find out if this already covers the case should this go to trial.

While the criminal defense lawyer will do their share to maintain your innocence, you should also do your share so this can happen. You do this by cooperating with them so they will be able to come up with a good defense.

The best criminal defense lawyer to get is the one who is experienced. After all, a criminal trial may last weeks or even months before a verdict is reached. This may cost you a great amount of money but if you get a not guilty verdict from the jury, it is surely worth every penny so you can move on with your life instead of spending the rest of it behind bars.

Q: Why Choose Bowles Law Firm?

A: As a former federal prosecutor and military prosecutor and defense counsel, and now private defense counsel for over 20 years, Mr. Bowles has represented individuals in criminal defense cases in state, federal and military courts in New Mexico, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, California and Washington, D.C.

He aggressively defends and fights for his clients in each case and puts the prosecution to their burden to prove the case. Mr. Bowles believes that it is important to thoroughly investigate the facts and to hire appropriate experts, if necessary, to aggressively represent individuals accused of crimes.

Attorney Jason Bowles knows the emotional toll that comes with being charged with a crime and for each client, he and his caring and patient staff assist in helping clients through the process and in fighting the charges to the end.

If you are seeking an attorney, contact us here for a free case review.