Charles County Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney

If you took a civics class in high school, you are probably familiar with concepts such as due process, probable cause, and reasonable doubt, but you most likely have not thought much about how they apply to you unless you are facing criminal charges. Even if you do not go to jail or prison, having a criminal record can make it much more difficult to apply for employment, housing, or anything else that requires a background check. Unfortunately, you cannot trust the court system to treat you fairly just because the Constitution says that it should. Without the help of a Charles County Maryland criminal attorney, you could end up getting unfairly punished, even if you did not do what the state is accusing you of doing.

Charles County Maryland Criminal Lawyer

All defendants in criminal cases have the right to representation by a professional defense attorney, and the court will assign a lawyer from the public defender’s office to your case if you do not hire your own Charles County Maryland criminal lawyer. Your chances of getting a favorable outcome in your case are better if you work with a lawyer that you chose, however; you should choose a lawyer who listens to you and understands your point of view, and who does not seem to have made up their mind about how to approach your case before even hearing what you have to say about it.

Fewer than 10% of criminal cases go to trial, and your criminal lawyer in Charles County Maryland will prepare for your trial if you choose to plead not guilty. A lot of things that affect the outcome of the trial happen long before you are sitting in the courtroom, watching the jurors’ facial expressions and wondering what verdict they will return. For example, your lawyer may disagree with the prosecution about which pieces of evidence are relevant; your lawyer may use their expertise to persuade the judge to let the jury see a certain piece of evidence or to prohibit this piece of evidence from being mentioned to jurors. Jury selection is another important part of a criminal defense lawyer’s work; to have a fair trial, you need truly unbiased jurors, not jurors who have made up their minds that you are guilty before they even see you.

Due process begins long before you start preparing for trial. The police, judge, and prosecutors must respect your rights every step of the way. If they do not, it is not legal to convict you. If your rights were violated, your lawyer might be able to get your case thrown out.

Contacting the Law Office of Robert R. Castro is the best choice you can make if you are being accused of a crime. Mr. Castro has handled thousands of criminal cases in Charles County Maryland for over 29 years. Visit the Law Office of Robert R. Castro at 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601 or call (301)705-5137.