Knowledge, Intuition and Common Sense
Just as you would not visit an allergy doctor if you needed brain surgery, nor would you seek out legal representation in a criminal case from an attorney who did not have experience and knowledge in the area of criminal law. Criminal defense is an area of law that is particuarly changing rapidly given the nature of our dwindling Constitutional rights. Moreover, the last decade has seen a "war on crime" making criminal laws particularly targeted for continual revisions. It is important that your lawyer has knowledge and experience in the type of case you bring to him.
Often, being charged and convicted of a crime does not automatically mean that a person will go to jail or prison. There are many factors that must be taken into account. Who the Judge is, who the assigned District Attorney is, the strength or weakness of the case, how experienced and dedicated the defense attorney is. Judges look at the person's prior criminal record, aggrevating or mitigating factors, need to protect the public, character of the criminal defendant, and the need to deter future criminal behavior.
Legal knowledge with any expertise often goes beyond book smarts. Knowledge often encompasses, strategy, intuition, sense of politics, sense of reality, knowing the people, and common sense.
I have handled 1000's of cases dealing with people accused of felonies and misdemeanors. Common felony cases include sexual assaults (or other sex crimes such as child pornography), armed robbery, possession of controlled substances, drug dealing, battery, forgery, uttering and many other crimes. Other charges are misdemeanors -- or less serious crimes -- such as being charged with battery, drunk driving (OWI's or DWI's), disorderly conduct, domestic violence, possession of a controlled substance, criminal damage to property, etc.
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