How an Experienced Lawyer Such as Jake Esther Can Help in Your Felony Case
Dealing with a felony can be a nightmare, especially when you are alone. One thing that can help a lot is hiring a criminal lawyer in Missouri. Apart from defending you in court, they will do much more for you. So in the next part of this blog, we will find out why you should hire an attorney for a felony case.
How an attorney can help in a felony case
The work of the attorney begins with explaining the charge. In Missouri, felonies are categorized and each classification has its guidelines for sentencing. After explaining the charge, reputed lawyers such as Jake Esther make a strategy.
Negotiate with prosecutors
Attorney’s attempt to negotiate with prosecutors. Often the client receives a suspended imposition or suspended exposition of the sentence. In both cases, the client receives probation rather than prison time. The lawyer can also negotiate in order to prevent the charge from appearing on the client’s record after probation is served. After that, the client doesn’t need to worry about the felony conviction preventing them from seeking gainful employment.
Get access to vital resources
To support the charges, the prosecution can call a witness to provide testimony. Fortunately, defense lawyers also get access to resources, including witnesses. They fight back by calling witnesses that dispute the prosecution’s claim while supporting that client’s innocence. It can be a challenge for a usual person to find witnesses. So the lawyers make the best out of the wide range of contacts that they built over the years.
Apply for expungement
Lawyers assist clients who are willing to apply for expungement after the conviction. The convicted have to wait for seven years before the attorney can apply for the expungement. With the expungement, the prior records of the earlier process are sealed or destroyed. Thus, they won’t be available to the general public. One thing that needs to be kept in mind is not all felony convictions are eligible for expungement.
Class A felony offenses cannot be expunged and people cannot get the felony expunged if they have to register as a sex offenders. Moreover, expungement cannot be a choice if the crime involves death, kidnapping, or domestic violence. So the attorney will review your record to determine if expungement can be a choice for you.
All in all
An attorney such as Jake Esther can also help in other ways. They can provide you with emotional support and guidance during the process. With an experienced attorney by your side, you know what to expect at every step. Schedule a consultation with an attorney for your felony case today so that you can understand what will occur and how you can defend yourself.