Individuals who have been falsely accused of a crime need to take immediate action in order to protect themselves. While the person may know that they are innocent, there is no guarantee that the charges will be dismissed.
The first thing a person needs to do is realize how serious the accusations are. They need to look at the potential penalties they could face. Even though they may be innocent, they should not assume that the police, judge, prosecutor, or jury will see the situation in the same way. They need to take decisive actions by working with an experienced lawyer in Mattoon, IL, in order to help them increase the likelihood that they will have a favorable outcome.
One benefit that an individual could experience by retaining a lawyer in Mattoon, IL, before being charged with a crime is that the proactive measures that are taken could prevent a charge. A lawyer may be able to help a client by discussing the situation with the police or prosecutor and then offer information that would convince them that their client is not guilty.
In some cases, an attorney may recommend that their client take no action. They may feel that the best strategy is simply to do nothing. This will allow them to see what evidence a prosecutor will develop and then build their defense on that. It may be that test results support the innocence of the client or that a witness recants their testimony, leading to all charges being droppaed.
