Understanding your rights in the criminal justice system can be quite the challenge. It’s a complex system that has a lot of complicated details. It is difficult to understand for those who are not familiar with it. In addition, there is some flexibility to maneuver around what is written in the law. 

When you are facing criminal charges, the best thing you can do is work with criminal lawyers in Chattanooga, TN, to better understand your rights and navigate the legal system. 

What Are the Charges? 

First things first: make sure you understand your charges. Your legal team should be able to help clarify what your charges are and what punishment you could be facing. As they work on your case, you will develop a plan of action. It is possible you will be able to fight the charges. 

There are also scenarios where you may not be able to get rid of the charges, but you can reduce them or even reduce the penalties for the charge. This depends on the situation and is one of the biggest reasons to hire a legal defense team. 

Collect Evidence and Prepare

Once you and your lawyer understand the charges and have a basic plan in place, you can start to dig deeper. It will be necessary to gather evidence that can help support your case. Here’s an example. Let’s say you were accused of causing a car accident. The scene has witnesses and experts, as well as a police report. 

These will be the things that your lawyer helps collect. The evidence collected will vary depending on the case, but it might include:

  • Photos
  • Eyewitness statements
  • Police reports
  • Medical documents
  • Investigation details

Many of these can be used as part of the strategy to improve your chances of beating this, or at least reducing your charges. 

Plea Bargain Considerations

In some cases, a plea bargain may be beneficial to helping you reduce your punishment or your charges. A plea bargain ultimately means that you will enter a specific type of plea. Usually, this is admitting your guilt. In exchange for your plea, you will be offered a deal for reduced charges or punishments. Work with your lawyer to determine whether this is the best option available. 

Sentencing Negotiations

While the hope would be that you could get your case dismissed, this won’t always be an option. Your best choice might be to negotiate the sentencing for your conviction. When an offense is non-violent, there is a better opportunity to negotiate the sentence. Again, your lawyer will be able to help you navigate these options and fight for you to get a reduced sentence. 

Use an Experienced Lawyer for Your Case

Navigating these options and the legal processes on your own is nearly impossible. Hiring experienced criminal lawyers in Chattanooga, TN, is the best way to fight the charges. An experienced legal team will know what you are facing and know the best ways to help you out. Lean on the professionals when you’re facing legal challenges.