Criminal defence lawyers are attorneys who represent people accused of crimes. They work to prove their client’s innocence or negotiate a plea bargain. A criminal defence lawyer may work for the government as a public defender or in private practice. Some of them are also prosecutors, but this is less common.
In Sydney, the crime level is relatively low, which is only 34.47, as compared to other states in the country. Here, laws regarding criminal justice are pretty strict. As per sydney criminal law firms, a criminal lawyer can handle all the serious charges like fraud, criminal, assault, drug, sex assault, child pornography, armed robbery, etc.
Who are Criminal Defence Lawyers?
There are almost 2,428 lawyers in Sydney, out of which 585 are criminal lawyers. They are experts or professionals in criminal litigation and criminal laws. These people have gone through years of education, training and experience to understand criminal laws better. A criminal defence lawyer must have a law degree and pass the bar exam to practise law.
They use their extensive knowledge to defend the rights of innocent individuals and work with those accused of a crime to determine if they are guilty. They charge somewhere around $300 to $800 per hour.
Role of a Criminal Defence Lawyer
Some of the significant roles of criminal defence lawyers are:
1. Case Assignment
Sydney Criminal Law Firms may directly get the case or may get appointed by the court for a particular case. Some criminal lawyers are also public defenders, as the public defender’s office pays them.
On the other hand, private firms can also hire these lawyers. Though, public defenders may get less salary as compared to their private counterparts.
2. Interviews Regarding Cases
After a case is assigned to lawyers, they personally meet the client to get all the answers to the questions relevant to the case. This question and answer session helps them learn all possible defences and helps them measure the strengths and weaknesses of the case. But the lawyer must carefully and thoroughly ask their client as they might not get the time again and again.
3. Checking Evidence
Criminal lawyers are responsible for testing the police’s evidence and protecting the client’s legal rights. They are also responsible for putting the clients’ version in front of the judges in the best possible way.
This assists the court in checking the reliability of the police’s evidence to determine whether the evidence found establishes the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt or not.
4. Case Investigation
In addition to asking the criminal defendant pointed questions about the case, a criminal defence lawyer can further investigate the case to determine all possible avenues to acquit the defendant.
It may include questioning police regarding the procedures in conjunction with the case. It also includes talks with witnesses having information about the case. All of this information would be useful to build a strong defence for the case.
5. Analysis of Evidence
Analysing all the evidence against a criminal defendant needs criminal defence lawyers to thoroughly study all the facts and theories related to the case.
Additionally, they may have examined the evidence to determine if any legal theories may work against their client’s conviction.
6. Bargaining for Plea
They are also responsible for enquiring about the status of a particular case. In addition, these lawyers have the right to negotiate with the prosecutor regarding any specific plea bargain.
Just like a prosecutor, a criminal defence lawyer would be able to assist in securing a favourable deal for the defendant. It results in a reduction of charges or possible punishment.
Conclusion
The role or scope of criminal defence lawyers is not limited. They are responsible for bringing justice and a charge against a defendant in court. In addition, it is their responsibility to establish the facts and bring to the judge’s notice in which direction a criminal case should move.
