Criminal charges usually come with some severe penalties. If you're found guilty, you can end up paying heavy fines, or in some instances, you'll do some prison time. Such punishments can be life-changing. Fortunately, by hiring a criminal defense attorney, you can significantly minimize your charges. According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, 90 to 95% of criminal cases settle. This is usually the work of experienced criminal attorneys. Here's how a criminal defense attorney can reduce your charges.

Investigate the Case

Once you hire a criminal defense attorney, they'll investigate to find all the loopholes in your case. In most instances, these loopholes can help them steer clear of the conviction or help you negotiate a sentence reduction. The idea behind the investigation is to look into the evidence, talk to the police and witnesses, and collect all the available information about the case. The lawyer also goes over the prosecution's case to find ways to improve your line of defense.

Negotiate With Prosecutors

Did you know that a criminal defense attorney can negotiate deals with prosecutors? This is one of the most effective tactics used to reduce penalties. Your lawyer can use their experience and skill to negotiate a plea bargain, which will help minimize the sentence. This is usually a good idea when there's overwhelming evidence against you. Trying to fight the case in court in such instances may lead to a harsh sentence.

Get Charges Dropped or Dismissed

There are several ways a criminal defense attorney can get the charges against you dropped. This is usually done by proving that the evidence against you was gathered in a way that goes against the collection rules. That makes the evidence inadmissible in court, which makes it impossible for the prosecutors to win. If the prosecution knows that the charge will not stick, they have no option but to drop it.

Skilled attorneys can use several methods to reduce the charges against you. If you're lucky and there are many loopholes in your case, the charges may even be dropped altogether. Are you facing criminal charges and need help fighting them? Get in touch with us today at the Law Office of Kevin MacKay. We would love to help you out.