Sugar Land Criminal Defense Attorney

Criminal Defense Lawyer in Sugar Land and Fort Bend County, Texas

Criminal defense

If you've been accused of a crime in Texas, the stakes are high. Your entire future is riding on the success of your defense, so it's crucial to secure the best criminal defense team as soon as possible after you're accused. The stress of being arrested can be paralyzing, making guidance from a seasoned professional an immediate necessity, but there's no need to panic. You can't be convicted unless the prosecution can prove that you committed a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, and this is no easy task. The stakes are high, but with the help of an experienced Houston Metro and Fort Bend criminal defense attorney,
the impact on your life can be reduced.
The Lawrence Law Firm is one of the most trusted criminal defense attorneys in Fort Bend County.

The Criminal Defense Process in Texas

In order to be one step ahead of the prosecution, it's essential to be familiar with the criminal defense process in Texas. The process starts with an investigation into whether there is probable cause for an arrest
by interviewing people, getting warrants and conducting searches, seizing property, and many other strategies. Therefore, it's important to hire an experienced Houston Metro criminal defense at the earliest possible stage of the process. Doing so might even keep you from being arrested in the first place.

Arrest and Bookings

If the police have probable cause, they'll arrest and book you at the police station. You'll be fingerprinted, photographed, and your criminal record will be examined. Therefore, it's important never to answer questions from the police without an attorney present. This includes at the scene, in the officer's police car, or anywhere else that you may interact with police. If you've already retained a Houston Metro or Fort Bend criminal defense attorney, you can tell the police that you won't be answering questions until he arrives.
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Sugar Land Criminal Defence Attorney

Arraignment

As soon as you hire an experienced Houston Metro criminal defense attorney, they'll be looking for ways to have the charges against you dismissed. If that's not possible, there will be an arraignment proceeding where the formal charges against you are presented. If you haven't yet retained an attorney, it's best to plead not guilty in order to give you time to retain counsel. Most Houston Metro criminal defense attorneys will advise you to plead not guilty to buy time to prepare your defense. Part of the arraignment process is setting bail, which will allow you to go home until the next appearance rather than staying in jail. The best way to obtain favorable bail terms is with the help of an experienced Houston Metro criminal defense attorney. .

Plea Bargaining

After your arraignment, your Houston metro criminal defense attorney will try to convince the prosecution that there isn't enough evidence for a conviction, so the charges should be dismissed. If that's not possible, there will be discussions about pleading guilty to lesser charges in order to avoid the possibility of harsher penalties at trial. If you plead guilty to a crime, you will be considered convicted of that crime, so it's essential to consider this impact on your life carefully. Some types of employment or housing may no longer be possible if you plead guilty to certain crimes, so it's essential to work closely with your Houston Metro criminal defense attorney during this stage. If you've been wrongly accused, it may be better to take your case to trial rather than accept having a criminal record.
PLEA BARGAINING - Criminal Defense Attorney Texas
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Trial

Just because your case goes to trial, this doesn't mean it will go all the way to a jury for a verdict. Your Houston Metro criminal defense attorney will be working behind the scenes as well as in the courtroom, trying to convince the prosecution that their witnesses are not credible, that their evidence is scant, and that they should save themselves from embarrassment by dropping the case mid-trial. If the case goes to a jury for a verdict, you can only be convicted if all six or twelve jurors (six jurors for misdemeanor cases, twelve for felony cases) agree that you're guilty of the crime you're charged with. If the jury finds you not guilty, you're free to go, but if the jury unanimously finds you guilty, the next stage is sentencing.

Sentencing

If you pleaded guilty to a crime or were found guilty by a jury, the next phase is sentencing. As a practical matter, most plea bargaining agreements will include a promise about sentencing as an enticement to accept the offer. After a jury verdict, a judge or jury will decide on the sentence. At the sentencing hearing or during the sentencing portion of your trial, your Houston Metro criminal defense attorney will call character witnesses on your behalf, will contact a probation officer to discuss how you would be a good candidate for probation, discuss your prior criminal record (or lack thereof,) your responsibilities to your family, your remorse, and other factors to try to help you achieve the shortest sentence and smallest fine possible for the crime you've been convicted of.
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Appeal

You have a right to appeal the jury's verdict based on errors of law that could be made during the trial. However, if you've been found not guilty, the state cannot appeal the jury's decision. Hire an Experienced Houston Metro Criminal Defense Attorney. The earlier in the process that you hire an attorney, the greater the likelihood of success. Texas prosecutors are overloaded with cases, and an experienced Houston Metro criminal defense attorney can often convince prosecutors to drop charges for non-violent crimes where there's not much evidence of culpability or intent. That's why it's crucial to speak to a Fort Bend criminal defense attorney as soon as possible if you've been accused of a crime.
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criminal defense Attorney,
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Note: Information on this site should not be considered legal advice. It is provided for educational use only. If you need legal advice regarding a an offense in the State of Texas, please contact Lawrence Law Firm.
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