Criminal Law & Procedure

The criminal law in your case will determine every aspect of your criminal case.The criminal law will dictate the charges against you, the defense against the charges, the possible consequences of conviction, possible plea opportunities, and many other aspects of your defense.

Many believe that the criminal law is basically the law defining the criminal offense.Though this is critically important due to the definition of consequences, the more important part of the law for the defense is the law of criminal procedure.

The fact is once you are facing criminal charges, you must deal with the hand you are dealt.Criminal procedure is the way that you are able to do this.Criminal procedure is basically the rules that the prosecutor must follow in prosecuting a case.These rules derive largely from the Constitutional Protections set forth in the Bill of Rights.These procedural protections protect citizens at every step of a criminal case from the earliest time in the investigation to the sentencing of those convicted.

These rules provide the greatest protections for citizens while also providing the greatest opportunities for the defense of the charges.   You will find that your attorney is more focused on these rules as the case proceeds than the charges against you.This may be frustrating at times, particularly if you feel you are wrongfully accused.However, the rules of criminal procedure are there to protect you, and most of all, to protect you against wrongful charges and conviction.