People love crime thrillers and movies based on the legal system. They’re fast-paced, exciting, and provide insight into the criminal justice system.
Everyone roots for the protagonist who marches into the courtroom rocking a sharp black suit and helping innocent people get justice.
Movies and TV shows exaggerate how things work in the court to make the show glamorous and captivate the audience’s interest.
Particularly, when the protagonist is a criminal defense lawyer, they show odds stacked against them, probing them to cross the line… and get away with it!
However, in reality, a criminal defense lawyer will do no such thing as they can face serious repercussions as severe as getting disbarred.
Here are three things that TV shows and movies get wrong about criminal defense lawyers:
Defense Lawyers Rely On Lies To Win Their Cases—Not true!
Most movies and TV shows depict criminal defense lawyers as liars. They are shown lying to clients, prosecutors, and judges to save their victim. But, in reality, that’s not the case.
A criminal defense lawyer’s job is to follow the law and take into account all details involved, and analyze the case from every possible angle.
They also have a duty to the court not to falsify statements or present fraudulent or perjured evidence in court.
They don’t care if their client is actually guilty
It’s often portrayed that criminal defense lawyers only care about winning and aren’t concerned whether their client is guilty or not.
Defense attorneys are also perceived as individuals who are looking for loopholes and technicalities in the legal system to let their clients walk free.
However, these assumptions are incorrect. First off, it is not your lawyer’s duty to decide whether you’re innocent or guilty. That’s what the court is for. That should never matter. Their job is simply to get you the representation you need, keeping in mind all the evidence, or lack of it.
A professional criminal defense attorney also understands that presenting false testimony violates their duty to the court. Hence, they convince their clients not to testify falsely in the court. If the client persists, the lawyer can request to withdraw from a case.
They bury or fabricate evidence
Criminal defense lawyers are shown hiding or engineering false evidence all the time—and very casually—to protect their clients.
Any competent lawyer understands that burying evidence or presenting fabricated evidence in the court can lead to severe repercussion.
The job of a criminal defense attorney is to protect their client to their best capacity, but it doesn’t mean that they will help become part of their crime.
Need a criminal defense attorney?
Facing criminal charges can be highly emotional and troubling experiences, particularly if you are facing them for the first time.
Don’t let this devastating experience crush your hope. Reach out to the Law Offices of Norley E. Castañeda in Central Islip today to prove your innocence.
Our experienced lawyer will help you to get out of this overwhelming situation and protect your legal rights throughout the proceedings.
The information contained herein is not intended to be a source of advice with respect to the material presented, and the information and/or documents contained in this website do not constitute legal advice.