Charged With A Crime? Why Self-Representation Is A Bad Idea

If you've been arrested and charged with a crime, don't go into court alone. You may think that you have what it takes to represent yourself, but that's not the case. Self-representation in a criminal matter can lead to serious complications for you. In fact, if you represent yourself, you run of the risk of making mistakes that will lead to your conviction. Here are four reasons why you shouldn't represent yourself.

No Experience With Procedure

When it comes to the criminal court system, it's all about procedure. There are specific procedures that must be followed throughout the criminal proceedings. Failure to follow those procedures can get you into trouble in the courtroom. While judges and clerks will give you some room for error when you choose to represent yourself, you'll still be required to understand and follow procedure. Criminal defense attorneys are well-versed in courtroom procedure, which means you won't need to worry about costly mistakes.

Limited Knowledge of the Law

If you've decided to represent yourself in a criminal matter, you need to rethink that decision. Unless, you've gone to law school, you won't have a great enough knowledge of the law to successfully represent yourself. Lawyers spend years learning the law and how it applies to specific cases. They know how to find case law that will help exonerate you. Without that knowledge, you won't be able to help yourself.

Danger of Self-Incrimination

If you're going to be representing yourself in court, you'll be presenting your case to the jury. That means you'll be doing the bulk of the speaking. If you're not careful about the things you say during the trial, you run the risk of saying something that the prosecution can use against you. Unfortunately, self-incrimination can be used to convict you. When you hire a criminal defense attorney, they'll present your case for you, which means your opportunities to say something that can be used against you will be limited.

Limited Access to Resources

When it comes to preparing your defense, you're going to need access to valuable resources. Unfortunately, if you don't have a criminal defense attorney, you're going to have limited access to the resources you'll need. For instance, there may be evidence that can be used to exonerate you but without a private investigator you won't be able to gather what you need. Your criminal defense attorney has access to all the resources you'll need to present a successful defense.

About Me

Latest Posts

22 August 2023
One of the responsibilities for new parents that often gets overlooked amid the excitement of welcoming a new baby is estate planning. While the thoug

18 July 2023
No one likes to think about death, but giving some thought to how you want your belongings distributed after your passing can be helpful. Estate plann

12 June 2023
When you are arrested, the charges with which you are charged are only one factor that goes on to determine what kind of sentence you may get if convi

Tags