Experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford
Experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford
I hear it all the time: “Why do I need to hire an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford? I will just represent myself; this is not so serious that I need an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford. I am just wasting my money. I will tell the judge what happened. The judge is going to look at this case and in five seconds the judge is going to dismiss this case. I don’t need an experienced, criminal trial attorney in Sanford to tell me that. In fact, what kind of experienced, criminal trial attorney in Sanford are you? Even the least experienced, criminal trial attorney in Sanford knows this case is dumb and it is going to go away as soon as I get there.”.
If I stopped you mid-throat, consider the following before you say the same about hiring an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford…
Recently, our Florida courts have ruled, the claim that trial court erred by permitting a prosecution witness to vouch for the credibility of a Williams rule witness and by allowing testimony of the Williams rule witness to become feature of trial is not preserved for review by specific, contemporaneous objection. See Mansueto v. State, 39 Fla. L. Weekly D2120a (10/8/14)
What is Williams Rule? The Williams Rule is the proposition that the Government can use a prior bad act (regardless of whether you were convicted or not) against you to prove up the new allegation. In this case, the prosecutor used the prior “bad act” (not necessarily a crime) against the Defendant and the Court allowed it to be used against the defendant in the case (someone maybe wearing the same shoes you are right now).
So consider it like this, you could be convicted because in the past you have had “bad words” with that neighbor who today is saying you keyed his car; you could be convicted because you have gotten in fights with other people before; or because you did something wrong before, you did something wrong today.
Then I have heard from potential clients, of course: “I will just appeal the decision. No big deal.”.
That is what the case is really getting to when it says “not preserved for review by specific, contemporaneous objection”. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the objection to the Williams Rule (the bad act evidence) was not preserved for appeal, so the court would not consider it on appeal.
Obviously, an experienced trial attorney cannot guarantee you a victory or any success; however, an experienced trial attorney may have been better equipped to know exactly what to do when the Government employed the Williams Rule to convict the defendant. As you can agree or disagree, often combining experience with knowledge can often lead to better results.
However, in this case the decision of the trial and appeals court probably will mean this defendant (someone maybe wearing the same shoes you are right now), will now probably face a lifetime of being a convicted criminal; face whatever sanctions the court awarded restitution, fines, probation, and even jail; and live with the stigma of that conviction even after the defendant “pays” for his or her crime.
So what does the appeals court state: “There is no viable substitute for well-versed trial advocacy and no shortcut for acquiring a firm grasp on the articulation of proper and contemporaneous trial objections.” Mansueto v. State, 39 Fla. L. Weekly D2120a (10/8/14)
See http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=7447150101815708574&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr
So should you hire an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford?
It is entirely up to you. Draw your own conclusions; it is important that I tell you the court is not telling you to hire an experienced trial lawyer in Sanford (or any attorney, anywhere for that matter). You have a right to defend yourself. However, you may want to hire an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford to help you try to protect yourself from this fate. It may save you from a lifetime of being a convicted criminal; facing the sanctions of restitution, fines, probation, and jail; and the stigma of that conviction even after the defendant “pays” for his or her crime.
Take the time to protect your rights, call me Charles Hart, Esq. at 321-363-4959 or email me at charleshartlaw@gmail.com. The consultation is free. Together, we can discuss whether you should hire an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford, Florida.
Lastly, what good are your rights if you do not exercise them? Call 321-363-4959 now to make a decision if you want to hire an experienced, criminal trial lawyer in Sanford, Florida.
If you like this article, check out these:
What should I do if I get a Seminole County or Volusia County speeding ticket or traffic ticket?
http://charleshartlaw.com/seminole-county-volusia-county-speeding-tickets-traffic-tickets/
What should I do if a family member or friend is in jail in Orange, Seminole, or Volusia County?
Sanford, Florida Criminal and Juvenile Attorney and Lawyer: Why choosing Sanford, Florida as a Criminal and Juvenile attorney and lawyer was the right decision for me.
Fight Your Red Light Ticket
http://charleshartlaw.com/fight-red-light-ticket/
or go to News on my website to get more information:
http://charleshartlaw.com/blog/
***This is not legal advice nor does reading this information create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and Charles C. Hart II, P.A. Keep in mind, the things an attorney can do and the action an attorney may take are dictated by the individualized facts of a case and always case specific. Essentially, what any attorney may do as your attorney depends on the attorney’s skill and expertise. Also, reasonable minds differ, one attorney may say one thing and another may disagree. In any event, please keep in mind, legal expertise comes from schooling, courtroom experience, and practicing as an attorney and not by reading a website. Use this information at your own risk.***