Criminal defence lawyers in Edmonton have one of the most challenging professions in Canada: persuading a jury that their client is not guilty of a crime. This may bring a lot of stigma to criminal lawyers, negatively impacting their image. Criminal lawyers suffer as a result of these preconceived assumptions, even if they are effective in their roles.
But regardless of their position, they all have a duty and obligation to their client. Regardless of what others say or do, professional criminal defence lawyers must always commit to their clients, irrespective of the allegations brought against them.
Criminal defence lawyers are responsible for a wide range of legal responsibilities. In general, they are required to maintain the privacy of any communications they have with their clients. In addition to their different obligations to the courts, they owe their clients aggressive defences. Criminal defence attorneys must also avoid conflicts of interest, which often means they cannot represent more than one party in the same criminal case.
Let’s consider some of the most critical responsibilities of criminal defence lawyers to their clients.
Communication With The Client
Clients rely on their attorneys to give legal advice at important stages throughout the trial. This includes interrogations by police, preliminary hearings, and the trial itself.
The client and lawyer must actively communicate. The criminal attorney has to be aware of all pertinent details regarding what took place to be ready for any potential arguments in court. A lawyer cannot defend a client against information and incidents they are unaware of.
As the case continues, the criminal lawyer should inform the client of any developments. They should also go through all possible outcomes of the case, such as what may happen if the court deems the accused guilty.
Dedicated Representation
A criminal defence attorney owes it to his client to vigorously represent them by taking all feasible steps to prepare a credible case. They are required to gather information, speak with witnesses, examine police reports, subpoena documents, evaluate case law, and review police reports.
Attorneys may sometimes ask courts to accept fresh and unique interpretations of current legislation to protect their client’s interests. Lawyers should be prepared to cross-examine witnesses and present persuasive arguments to judges and juries during a trial.
Avoiding Conflicts Of Interest
In criminal trials, conflicts of interest are reasonably normal. A criminal lawyer must avoid any disputes that might affect the case and the defendant’s reputation, whether they stem from an earlier event involving the accused and another charge or a connection they have with a lawyer’s team. Lawyers may occasionally refuse cases if there is a disagreement between the parties.
Additionally, attorneys are not permitted to use one client as evidence against another. Attorneys must also ensure that former clients do not interfere with ongoing proceedings. For instance, if a witness and the lawyer had an attorney-client relationship, the lawyer might not be able to attack the witness effectively.
Courts’ Integrity
Like other lawyers, a criminal defence lawyer should be open and honest with judges and juries. He is not allowed to give false information to the court intentionally. When engaging with the courts, he must be as truthful as possible. He cannot stand behind clients who lie under oath. Attorneys must take reasonable measures to address known client perjury, which may involve legally violating the attorney-client privilege to disclose it.
Research
Each legal case is different, as you might expect. However, a criminal defence lawyer might use past examples to create a stronger case. It is beneficial for lawyers to get familiar with trials similar to those their clients are going through.
This will help the criminal defence lawyer anticipate how the judge will react to certain arguments and pieces of evidence. Using this information, they may construct a defence that is supported by knowledge and research.
Information Gathering
A strong defence is considered the finest offence. Your criminal defence attorney should gather all pertinent data for the case. Some examples of this may be:
- Going to the crime site
- Gathering witness testimonies
- Finding any evidence
An essential component of becoming a criminal lawyer is trial preparation. A crucial piece of information or an eyewitness they didn’t talk with may surface once the court is in session, and the last thing they want is to be unprepared for that.
About Daryl Royer Criminal Law
Daryl Royer is one of Edmonton’s most sought-after criminal defence lawyers, with extensive experience in criminal law and an excellent reputation in Edmonton and throughout Canada. Almost every province in Canada has seen Mr. Royer handle various criminal cases. Discover more about Daryl Royer and his expertise in criminal law.
Do you need a tenacious criminal defence lawyer to represent you? Contact Daryl now.