Perhaps, there’s nothing more stressful in a person’s life than when they’re charged with a crime. It’s a very critical time as well because the actions you take immediately after will end up impacting your future in quite a significant way. Any mistake made at this juncture can either lead to the case being turned against you or in the worst case, land you in prison. This is why it’s very important that you properly plan your next course of action to defend yourself. However, most people aren’t legal experts, and knowing what to do is almost impossible without proper guidance.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the most crucial steps that you need to take in order to build a good defense. With this knowledge by your side, you can strengthen your case drastically and increase your odds of emerging victorious. So without further ado, let’s get to it and find out how you can build a great defense plan if you’re charged with a crime.
1. Collect Evidence
Almost every person knows about the importance of presenting proper evidence in court, regardless of whether they’re a lawyer or not. It’s a very obvious point that many people miss when they’re charged with a crime. This is usually due to the immense pressure that one feels because it’s their future at stake. Try to collect all the relevant pieces of evidence that can support your arguments because none of the arguments are going to hold true if you can’t back them up properly. Many people choose to hire an investigator to gather evidence that they wouldn’t have discovered otherwise, however, if you trust yourself and your abilities then you can do it yourself as well.
2. Craft a Narrative
Whether or not the proof of burden lies upon you, it’s a good idea to have a solid narrative of what happened to support your case. Every story has two sides and the judges usually know about it. This is why you as a defendant are expected to have your side of the story ready to defend your claims. Having a solid narrative will be helpful as it’ll help you avoid being overstressed which can lead to contradictions in your own story. Since it’s never good to contradict oneself, especially in a court of law, it’s best that you start sequencing the events and building a narrative.
3. Understand the Law
You can’t expect to win a lawsuit without having proper knowledge of the law. The justice system is a complicated one and if you want to stand any chance at defending yourself then it’s a good idea to get a little bit of knowledge about it. Since criminal law is a very sensitive subject, even the tiniest mistake can cost you a lot. While it may not be possible for everyone to be a legal expert, you can definitely take the help of someone who’s well versed in the law. According to Beles & Beles, the most important quality of an attorney is the knowledge they’ve amassed from years of practice. A good attorney will usually have a lot of experience under their belt and they’ll know exactly how to respond to each scenario that might come up.
4. Fight Back
Lastly and most importantly, a good defense plan is to be ready for the offense. Since the charges have been brought up, you don’t have any other option than to fight them off. This is why it’s best to gear up for the fight ahead and present your arguments as strongly as you can. Criminal charges can easily be dismissed if you or your lawyer can disprove them even before going to trial. This is why you shouldn’t panic or lose hope in the face of adversity, a great lawyer and a clean narrative are usually more than enough to dismiss the case. All you need to remember is to focus on formulating a good plan with expert legal help and you should be good to go.
These are some of the most useful tips that one should implement when faced with criminal charges. The first reaction of most people on learning about the charges brought upon them is to get stressed out and start panicking. However, this will only make things worse than they already are. You need to immediately start focusing on defending your side of the story and that’s only possible if you can create a flawless defense plan to counter the accuser.
