There’s no “typical” day in the life of a criminal defense attorney, but what every day does have in common is my dedication to my clients.
People often ask me how I can serve as a criminal defense attorney for clients that I know for a fact are guilty. I think this kind of question comes from watching too much Law & Order or CSI, where criminal defense attorneys get painted as the bad guys 9 times out of 10. When people ask me this question, I respond by telling them that I’m not the judge. It’s not my job to decide whether or not a defendant is guilty. I’m responsible for ensuring that every client’s rights are protected under the law and no one is convicted unjustly.
The life of a criminal defense attorney may not be glamorous, but it does allow me to play a vital role in the functioning of our justice system, and I take that very seriously. Here is a taste of what I do for my clients in the course of a criminal investigation.
Talking to Clients
As a criminal defense attorney, I have to be available whenever and wherever my clients need me. Sometimes this means taking a call in the middle of the night or driving for hours to meet with a client who has been arrested in another city. When a new client calls, I immediately set up a consultation for them so we can go over their case and start to develop a defense strategy. I’m always available to my clients via phone and email, unless I’m in court.
Visiting Crime Scenes
Not all criminal defense attorneys will visit crime scenes like I do, but I think this is a really important aspect of my job. I like to go to the scene of the alleged crime so I can visualize the events described in witness testimonies better. Depending on the case, I may ask my investigator to accompany me to the scene and provide their professional opinion as well. Visiting the crime scene often gives me additional angles to explore in crafting a defense.
Arraignment
The arraignment is often the first time that I officially represent my client. At the arraignment I have the opportunity to question probable cause for the arrest or the charges. I review documentation like the warrant and supporting affidavits, the incident report, and any declarations from the prosecution to see if I can get the case dismissed. If there is no reason for the judge to dismiss the case, I will use the arraignment to request reduced bail.
Trial
Depending on the strength of the evidence against a given client, I may advise accepting a plea bargain instead of going to trial. I have good relationships with lots of prosecutors so I can often get a good deal. If the client prefers to go to trial, I will continue investigating the details of the case as well as researching other similar cases to craft the strongest possible defense strategy.
Appeals
If the trial doesn’t turn out the way we’d hoped, it’s still possible to obtain a more favorable result through an appeal. I don’t like to give up on my clients and as long as there is solid grounds for an appeal I will continue to represent them.
As you can imagine, nothing about my job is routine or typical. Every client and every case is unique and I treat it as such! This means I don’t really have a “normal” Monday-Friday, 9-5 type work life, but I don’t mind one bit and I wouldn’t change a thing about my job.
