A Look At A Criminal Attorney

Being charged with a crime is no laughing matter. If it is a civil matter that is bad enough but a criminal charge is even worse. If you are charged with something that is criminal in nature then one of the first things you need to do immediately is to hire a criminal attorney to represent you throughout the case.

Criminal law attorneys are different than attorneys that work in civil law. In the case of the latter private lawsuits take place between two or more private parties or entities. On the other hand, a lawyer who works in criminal law represents clients who are being prosecuted either by the federal government or the state government for a crime that they have been accused of committing.

The majority of crimes are made up of three different elements. First of all there is the act that has taken place, known as actus reus. Next there is the mental state of the accused, known as mens rea. Finally and thirdly, there is the intent to do some form of social harm. The only types of crimes that do not consist of these three elements would be liability crimes.

There are two categories of crimes. You should hire a criminal attorney to help you regardless of what type of crime you have been charged with. There are misdemeanors and then there are felonies. Misdemeanors are less serious crimes that often lead to a fine and/or a night or two spent in jail. Examples of these offenses include petty theft, possession of a small quantity of a drug such as marijuana and some traffic violations. Felonies are the more serious crimes. If you are charged with a felony then you need someone to find you a criminal defense lawyer as fast as possible! Some examples of felonies include grand theft, rape, and assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and homicide.

When it comes to criminal law a suit against the accused is launched by the federal or state government through the prosecutor's office. This is the opposite of a civil lawsuit whereby it is the victim (plaintiff) who initiates the suit against the defendant. In a criminal suit the prosecutor assigned to the case is expected to prove to the judge and/or the jury that the accused is guilty of the crime that he or she has been charged with "beyond a reasonable doubt."

A criminal attorney will be able to help you every step of the way in terms of understanding what will happen at every stage. This includes from the information gathering and research stage to the court proceedings and up to the sentencing (if there is to be one).

If you need a criminal defense lawyer then do not wait to hire one. The sooner a criminal attorney comes on the scene the better chance the client has in terms of the investigation that is taking place. The lawyer will act in your best interests and will do everything in his or her power to make sure that you receive fair treatment.