The Role Of A Criminal Defense Attorney

Once a prosecutor, now a criminal defense attorney in Nashville, Tennessee, Russell Thomas is passionate about protecting his clients rights as they attempt to navigate the often confusing and always intimidating criminal justice system. According to Thomas, his job isnt as glamorous as what most people might see on TV. Instead, his role is primarily to stand up for the little guy.

When it comes to the phrase criminal defense attorney, it usually brings to peoples mind images of popular courtroom dramas and high-profile celebrity trials. But what exactly does a criminal defense attorney do? In my experience, the role of a criminal defense attorney is to seek justice for each individual he represents, one case at a time. And although every case is different, there are a few common threads.

Guide a Defendant through the Legal Process
One of a criminal defense attorneys most important roles is to guide a defendant through the legal process, answering questions, offering advice, and simply making the client feel as though he has someone on his side. It can be extremely frightening to face charges for a crime. If you find yourself looking across the aisle at either the state of Tennessee or the United States of America, and you know that the prosecution is going to use every resource at its disposal to seek the greatest possible punishment against you, its incredibly intimidating. That is why you should get help from a criminal defense attorney to go through that process.

Most people dont understand how the legal system works, so its easy to be taken advantage of when youre not adequately represented. A good criminal defense attorney will not only make sure youre conducting yourself in accordance with court customs and procedures (which are foreign to most laypersons), he will also provide you with an important reality check. This means offering an informed perspective on what is likely to happen as your case progresses through the system and invaluable advice as you make key decisions along the way.

Work with the Prosecutor to Negotiate a Sentence
Another important aspect of a criminal defense attorneys role is to work with the prosecutor to determine whether it may be possible to achieve a resolution to your case out of court. For example, in exchange for a guilty plea, the prosecutor may be willing to reduce the charges against you or to recommend softer sentencing.

Although this kind of deal will not be possible in every case, it isnt an option thats normally available to someone representing himself. As a criminal defense lawyer, whenever we believe we can achieve a positive outcome without going to trial, thats what we try to do. If were not able to do that, our job is to create the best defense possible.

Create an Aggressive Defense
If a case does go to court, the criminal defense attorney will do everything possible to secure a positive outcome for his client. In building a defense, the attorney may conduct an in-depth investigation into the facts of the case, hiring an investigative team, gathering information from witnesses, and doing everything in his power to create an aggressive defense.

My goal is to get my client back to his normal life. To do that, I have to focus all of my attention on building a solid defense strategy. When I worked as a prosecutor, I viewed my role as advancing the interests of the community by making sure that individuals who violated the law were brought to justice. Today, I believe that in my capacity as a criminal defense attorney, Im advancing the interests of the individual by ensuring that when someone is accused of a crime, he receives the best possible representation. Someone has to stand up for the guy who cant stand up for himself, and thats what we do as criminal defense attorneys.

This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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