Being accused of any crime can be detrimental to anyone’s personal and professional reputation. Even a misdemeanor can cause some problems for people when it comes to finding employment or building relationships with friends and mates. An experienced lawyer is needed to defend any allegations of criminal acts. In the United States court of law, every accused person is entitled to a public defendant at no charge. However, many people don’t want to take any risks and hire the services of reputable attorneys specializing in a variety of criminal defense areas. Joseph Tacopina is an example of an attorney that can defend against various criminal accusations ranging from white collar crime to assault.
First and foremost, people accused of certain crimes need to find local lawyers that specialize in specific areas of criminal defense. Not all lawyers will take cases that involve difficult cases such as white collar crime, civil rights issues and workplace conflicts. In general, most certified lawyers can easily handle basic cases involving traffic violations, DUI and DWI, assault and larceny. These are some of the most common criminal charges and therefore it’s not surprising that every licensed lawyer is trained to provide defense against such allegations.
However, certain criminal cases can be complex when involving issues such as white collar crime. Not all lawyers are trained in the fields of business and finances. In fact, lawyers that earn Juris Doctor and Master of Law degrees often need to specialize in taxation, business litigation, corporate law and other relevant topics for white collar crime. Additionally, many lawyers also possess relevant experience in the private and public sectors of white collar crime. For example, a lawyer that has served on tax auditing boards is qualified to handle cases involving tax evasion. Some attorneys also have extensive tax experience from working for the IRS. Similarly, attorneys that worked for fraud monitoring units in government departments are qualified for handling cases involving medicare and social security fraud. The list of relevant experience for white collar crime goes on and on for lawyers.
A person accused of a crime should check some basic facts about a potential lawyer that is being considered for hire. It’s easy to check a lawyer’s official bar certification from a state. Additionally, an attorney might have other credentials such as being a part of national interest organizations for specific legal cases such as criminal defense. A lawyer should also have no problem with revealing any prior experience working in the public sector such as judicial clerk positions in state supreme courts. Many experienced lawyers also boast about their great track record involving successful criminal defense outcomes in the court of law. For example, some lawyers can brag about their great abilities to withstand lengthy trials and still receive a not guilty verdict for their clients.
An experienced criminal defense attorney needs to discuss with the client the possibilities of going through a trial or taking a plea bargain. There is always a risk of getting a guilty verdict when withstanding trial in front of a jury and judge. The penalties of a guilty decision are often more harsh than a plea bargain taken before a trial. At the end of the day, criminal defense attorneys receive their paychecks for their efforts in the court of law.