Christmas: A Perfect Time For Crimes

The holiday season is nearly upon us! Well, this is without a doubt the time of the year that we were all waiting for so eagerly! The cities all over the nation are changing – holiday decorations make people feel better and cheer them up indeed.

With that said, even though this time of the year is generally a very fun as well as cheerful one, it is also a pretty dangerous time of the year indeed. That is right – the official statistical data clearly demonstrates that the number of crimes being committed during the holidays is pretty high. Below are the most common types of crimes that take place during the holidays:

• Domestic violence
• Scams – these may include even charity scams and fraudulent actions
• Counterfeiting
• Home burglary
• Sexual assault and rape
• Vehicle theft
• Drunk driving
• Robbery
• Shoplifting
• Identity theft

Well, in case you or maybe your loved ones were charged with one of the above-mentioned offenses during the holidays, it is very important, crucial even, to make sure that you get in touch with a qualified as well as genuinely experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at the earliest opportunity. Only a good criminal attorney will have what it takes to get you through the whole process and to make sure that you or your loved ones will not have to be impacted by the severe legal consequences.

The case begins with the pre-arrest investigation. First of all, once the law enforcement authorities are going to be made aware that the crime took place, they will need to determine what kind of crime it really was. This is why they will need to gather plenty of evidence, which would be used in the case in the future. Once the law enforcement authorities have plenty of reasons to believe that they have managed to find the criminal offender, they will be able to make the arrest in line with all of the gathered evidence. In some cases, before the arrest will be made, the police will need to deliver ample evidence to the prosecuting attorney.

In case an arrest will be made, the suspect will be taking into custody by the police officers. The arrest can be made in two cases. First of all, in case the law enforcement officers will arrive on the scene and will quickly determine that there are plenty of reasons to believe that the suspect is guilty of crime – perhaps he or she is resisting arrest, is in possession of weapons, illegal drugs and so on. Furthermore, the arrest also can be made in line with the warrant issued by a judge. Of course, the requirements for the warrants may vary from one state to another, but if the police have a warrant – they will have every right to arrest the suspect and to take him or her into their custody.

In case you or perhaps your loved ones are arrested for some kind of crime, the very first thing that you will need to do would be getting in touch with the best Los Angeles criminal attorney possible. In addition, it is very important, crucial even, to make sure that you remain silent. You have that right. Anything you may say could and will be used against you in court and, at times, people say things they did not mean in such stressful situations. Every word you say may be used as evidence against you.

The arrest is followed by the initial hearing. This is when the defendant is brought before the court. The judge is going to tell him or her about the offenses that he or she is charged with and will advise to find a legal representative and to remain silent until the attorney will have a possibility to examine the case.

In some cases, the Grand Jury will determine whether or not the defendant is guilty. It is a group of people, who do not know each other and are meant to decide if the defendant should be found guilty. Of course, the legislation varies from state to state. Still, in some cases the prosecution may ask the jury to indict the defendant.

If the defendant was charged with a felony, the initial hearing will be followed by the preliminary hearing. In some cases, this is when the fate of the defendant will be decided altogether. Hence, it is also strongly advised to have a qualified as well as genuinely experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer by your side during the hearing.

The arraignment is when the defendant will be presented with official charges. Furthermore, this is when the defendant will have a choice on how to plead. Needless to say, the prosecution will want the defendant to plead guilty. However, it is not the best idea, even though the prosecutor may claim that it will ease your sentence. At times, the prosecutor simply wishes to get it over with and will want you to give up easily. This is also one of the moments when it is essential to have a qualified criminal defense attorney, who will be able to assess the case and will tell you how to proceed in order to avoid the harshest legal penalties.

Things can be resolved during the arraignment or the case can go to trial. However, dealing with charges before trial may help you to avoid any jail time. This is why is essential to have a good Los Angeles criminal defense attorney by your side. Please contact our law offices at (855) 858-2755 or use online contact form.