2 January, 2020
Being a criminal defense lawyer is not an easy job. It is one of the toughest jobs in the field of law, and it requires the lawyer to have a great level of patience. Defense lawyers always have to stand with a client who has been accused of everything a prosecutor can throw on him. From minor offence like stealing to a major offence like murder, a criminal defense lawyer has to protect them all. A criminal lawyer may or may not win a case depending on the evidence and other indications, but they put all the efforts to turn the table around. Sometimes they are even seen as people who defend criminals. But they believe in the law that states everyone is innocent until proven guilty and a lot of defense lawyers have saved innocent people who were wrongfully accused of a crime. For them, it is a game where everything is on the line and either the client wins it all or they lose it all. Being a criminal lawyer requires a lot of courage, persistence and patience. Those who have succeeded in this field have had all these qualities. But what makes a great criminal defense lawyer?
Let’s have a look at some secrets and qualities that a criminal defense lawyer possess.
They Keep Their Personal Feelings Aside
Keeping their personal feelings aside is one of the greatest qualities of a criminal defense lawyer and is certainly a secret to their success. Sometimes they find themselves in a situation where all the evidence points towards their defendants. These are the times when the lawyer has to reserve his personal feelings. He still needs to make sure that he is providing that client with the best defense possible. It is obvious that no attorney endorses the crime for which they are defending their client. The goal of the attorney is to exonerate his client and find the actual culprit. Even if the client has admitted that he has committed the crime and wants to take a plea deal, the defense lawyer has to make sure that he is getting the client the best deal possible.
They Understand That the Client Can Be His Own Worst Enemy
Defense attorneys are aware of the harm that the client himself can do to their case. Everyone knows that in the US, you have the right to remain silent, and you should not talk to the cops in the absence of your lawyer. So it is important for the client to never talk to detectives in the absence of his lawyer. Some trials can go on for months, and in that time, the client will talk to people and spread information that could harm the case later. A good defense attorney strictly advises the client against these things and encourages them for cooperation. Clients also hide information sometimes and that is another thing that can cause damage to the case. So the attorney needs to take the client in his confidence and has to make sure that he is not holding back any piece of the necessary information.
They Research the Jurors
When a case goes to trial in front of the jury, then the fate of the accused depends strictly on the jury. And it is up to the defense lawyer or the prosecuting attorney to convince the jury if the accused is guilty or not. A lawyer cannot just talk jury into voting for not guilty. What a good defense lawyer does is he conducts proper research on the jury. He makes sure that the jurors assigned to the case will have no biases against his client. For example, during the famous OJ Simpson trial, a lot of jury members kept getting dismissed for either they were fans of the OJ Simpson or disliked him as a player. Similarly, the lawyer needs to conduct thorough research for his client’s welfare. If he has even the slightest doubt that a certain juror can be biased, then he can ask the judge to remove that juror. This also helps the attorney to understand the jury better, and he can also raise points in his statements with which the jury will relate. This also increases the chances of winning the case. Also, make sure to hire the local attorney if the case is in the Long Beach area, hire a Long Beach Criminal Attorney. Being a local, it will be easier for them to research the jury
They Stand Close to Their Clients
If you have been to the courtrooms or have ever seen a broadcast of a trial, you will see the attorney will always be standing closer to the client. Especially when it is time for the verdict, the person standing next to the client will always be his defense attorney. This is done by the attorneys to give an image of solidarity. This means that he supports his clients no matter what the verdict is. It is also done to show a humane gesture. In numerous cases when the verdict is being announced the accused can get overwhelmed with the emotions. They can break down or even worse can pass out as well. So a lawyer must always stand next to him to make sure that he has the immediate support when the verdict is announced.
They Can Tolerate Hate
As mentioned earlier, being a defense attorney is not an easy thing. When you are defending an accused criminal, there will be people against him, the people who support the victim and their family. This can result in hate mail, chants, and if the intensity of the case is high lawyers can receive death threats as well. A good defense lawyer can tolerate this. Let’s take another example from the OJ Simpson case. OJ’s lead lawyer Johnnie Cochran received several death threats during the period of trial. He did however hired some security, but he never backed away from the challenge. In fact, he got OJ the not guilty verdict. And this is not the only case, a lot of cases that received media coverage resulted in lawyers getting hate mails and threats.
They Give Their Clients Makeover
Appearances matter a lot in the court and defense attorneys know that. The client has to be present in almost every hearing of the trial and how the client looks can have a significant effect on the Jury’s decision. For example, if a client is wearing rough clothing, inappropriate jewelry or tattoo or has a weird hairstyle, it might not sit well with the jury. In such a scenario, it is the duty of the defense attorney to give them a makeover. The attorneys who are related to big firms can always put an associate on the job. Make sure that the client is dressed neatly and formally. The more presentable your client is, the more likely the jury is to empathize with him. You must also advise the client to have a good attitude and patience in the court. Any burst outs could add to the negative points.
They Are Excited yet Patient
Criminal defense cases are not like other cases. They have a high stakes case, and that is what intrigues them the most. The dealings, in this case, are different than that of a civil case. In a civil case, you will be arguing about article 2, but in a criminal case, you discuss a robbery or a heist. Needless to say that the latter sounds more interesting and exciting. However, where the stakes of the case get the attorney excited, they have to be extremely patient as well. Criminal cases move very slowly and can take months as well. There is a huge gap between hearings as well, which may make the client anxious, but it should have no effect on the lawyer. The things in the court do not move as fast as one may see in a movie or a documentary. Even though some trials get extended for months, some trails will finish in a day or even weeks.
They Have an Appetite for Tough Cases
When it comes to taking on virtually unwinnable cases, a lot of lawyers hesitate. But when it comes to a criminal defense attorney, it is the opposite. Criminal Defense Lawyers thrive on cases that are tough to win. Sometimes in federal cases, the prosecution team is invested too much and are determined to convict the defendant. The government funds these cases and they attract media attention as well. To a lot of criminal defense attorneys, it is a part of the appeal. They describe it as that they have nothing to lose in such scenarios. It also gives more insight into their rivals on the prosecution team. How they prepare and what course of action they take. This can help the defense attorney in future cases when they face that particular prosecutor again.
The Change Strategies Based On Public Opinions
Criminal cases always get some media attention. Even if it is not a big case, it will still be in the local papers. But the bigger the case is, the more the audience will take part in it. Let’s take another example from OJ Simpson’s case. The result of that case was totally driven by the fact that the LA police department was racist towards the black people. OJ’s lawyer played that rightly and despite having hard evidence, the jury did not convict OJ. This also shows how a jury is also your audience and changing public opinion can help you win the case. A good criminal defense lawyer is always aware of these opinions and molds his strategies accordingly.
Amy Rehan is a guest post manager at Globex Outreach. Her job is to ensure all guest post projects are completed on time and according to client’s requirement
