Knowing the Judges, Prosecutors, and Law Enforcement In a Criminal Case
Facing criminal charges can be terrifying, but having a strong attorney by your side makes a big difference in your outcome. An attorney who knows the prosecution, judge, and law enforcement officers involved in your case can help you tremendously.
In addition to listening to your side of the story and collecting evidence, the attorneys at The Turner Firm know the opposing counsel, presiding judges, and most law enforcement officers who might testify.
How Does Knowing the Judges Help?
Judges are human – they have quirks and tendencies like anyone else. Some judges might be harder on gun charges where others are harder on drug charges. Some might be less harsh on drug charges, especially marijuana. Knowing that changes your strategy. An attorney might be more inclined to take a case to trial knowing, in the worst case, that the judge is not likely to sentence your client to prison for drug charges, and will probably recommend rehabilitation or a diversion program.
How Does Knowing the Prosecution Help?
Knowing the tendencies of different judge changes the way an attorney approaches the prosecution to work out a plea deal or submit an open-ended plea where the judge determines the sentence. That knowledge can be used as leverage in discussion with the prosecution.
Having experience working with different prosecutors helps since some prosecutors are more inclined to be lenient and work out a reduced charge or plea deal.
How Does Knowing Law Enforcement Help?
Just like judges and the prosecution, some officers are going to be harsher than others, particularly in DUI cases. Some officers make the same mistakes over and over again. Some officers might have less than stellar records and administrative violations in past cases that a good attorney will bring up at trial.
In DUI cases, the arresting officer is the main witness for the opposition, so knowing them in advance helps shape your defense and poke holes through their case.
What to Do If You’re Facing Charges
It’s always beneficial to know who you’re up against. The attorneys at The Turner Firm know the judges, prosecution, and law enforcement in the Savannah area, and they use that information to help achieve favorable outcomes for their clients.
If you’re facing charges, reach out to us today to schedule a free, no-obligation review of your case. It’s very likely we already know the main players in your case and can start shaping your defense immediately.