Should You Have Legal Representation in Court?

If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, you may have many questions swirling through your mind. One of the questions you may have is whether you need to have legal representation in court to help defend you against the charges you are facing or whether you can represent yourself. While you are not required to have legal representation in court, it is extremely beneficial to have someone helping you. Here is what you need to know about having legal representation in court.

Isn’t Legal Representation Expensive?

One of the concerns that people have about legal representation is that it can be expensive. If you cannot afford a criminal attorney, a public defender will be appointed to represent you. As such, money alone should not prevent you from getting the legal representation you may need to fight your case. In most cases, you will have to submit documents about your income to show that you do not have the finances to pay for an attorney on your own.

Is It Necessary to Have Legal Representation in Court?

Another question that you may have is whether it is necessary to have legal representation in court. Legally speaking, you are not required to have an attorney or public defender present. You can waive having representation and defend yourself as long as you are mentally competent. However, while it may not be legally necessary, everyone should strongly consider having an attorney or public defender represent them. This is because there are many benefits of hiring an attorney or allowing a public defender to assist you.

How Can Legal Representation Be Beneficial?

One of the benefits of having legal representation for a criminal case is that a legal representative can help you navigate the legalities of the charges you are facing. A professional knows what criteria have to be met by the state to prove their case and knows what defenses to raise to help show that there is reasonable doubt or that the state hasn’t met their burden of proof. A legal representative can also work to negotiate a plea deal, which can help to resolve a case quicker and may reduce the charges or penalties you are facing. Finally, a legal representative can help with every aspect of your case, including bail hearings, trial hearings to ensure you are completing community service and even potential probation hearings.

Legal representation can help do more than just defend you against the charges you are facing. Legal representation can also help you get bail set and/or lowered if needed. Once you have a bail amount, a bail bond company can help get you out of jail until your trial. At Free at Last Bail Bonds, we understand the importance and urgency of reuniting families. If you or a loved one needs our services, we are here for you 24 hours a day at 470-410-3409.