Arizona Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
Article by: James Novak, Maricopa County DUI & Criminal Defense Attorney
1) You may find the Maricopa Prosecutor very professional and polite. But if you were arrested or charged with a crime, remember, their job is to convict you. That is what they get paid to do.
2) If you choose to defend yourself without a proper Arizona Legal defense, private practice DUI lawyer, or criminal defense attorney, you make the prosecutor’s job easier. To go unrepresented, is the fast way to an almost certain outcome- conviction of the charges.
3) The Prosecutor will not point out weaknesses or flaws in the State’s case against you. Only a good Arizona DUI or criminal Attorney will comb through the evidence to look
For violations of your constitutional rights, or other flaws or circumstances that would weaken the prosecutions case against you.
4) You may be completely not-guilty of the charges for which you were arrested or on trial, but the prosecution will not “tell your story” or produce any evidence that will help prove your innocence. That is not their job.
5) The Police and prosecution work closely together to get a conviction against you. Even if you are politely approached by either, and asked to provide a little more information regarding your charges…don’t do it! By answering without proper legal counsel, you may incriminate yourself and help the prosecution build a case against you. You have a constitutional right to remain silent and to defense counsel. Use it! Politely state that you wish to speak with your DUI or criminal defense attorney before answering any questions.
6) A Judge can not intervene until a motion is filed or your sign a plea agreement or take the matter to trial. The Judge does not have authority to dismiss the case until a proper Legal defense challenge is made on your behalf by your Arizona Defense Attorney, or the jury returns a Not-Guilty Verdict on all charges. The chances of getting an acquittal or not-guilty verdict without a good Arizona Criminal Defense or DUI Attorney are slim to none.
7) If you are told by a Prosecutor that your criminal or DUI matter is “simple” and penalties are “no big deal” or that “you really do not need to hire an attorney” – that is rarely if ever true. The Maricopa County and Arizona Criminal Justice system is complicated. It is a maze of laws, protocol, time-lines, details, paperwork, procedures, and constantly changing legislation. The people and odds are against you, without a strong criminal defense or DUI defense lawyer defending you. Arizona has some of the toughest laws and penalties in the country for criminal and DUI charges. When it comes to your future and freedom, and facing Arizona charges, to the contrary, a criminal or DUI charge is a very serious matter and the consequences of a conviction can be negatively life altering.