Each time you stand before the court or have a meeting with law enforcement officers during a criminal case, there is a chance that you will be thrown a curveball in your case. The events can either be a great opportunity for your defense or they can be a challenge that you will have to face. In some instances, the events are a combination of the two.
Consider the recent story of the former Marshall University football player. He was facing two felony civil rights violation charges based on anti-homosexual comments that the man allegedly made. The judge presiding over the case ruled that the law doesn’t include a person’s sexual orientation as the basis for hate crimes. He noted that the prosecution has 60 days to appeal his ruling before the two felony charges will be dropped. The man would still face two misdemeanor battery charges even if the felony charges are dropped.
That case shows how important knowing the law and how it is interpreted can be in a criminal case. The defendant could have gotten excited when he heard the judge’s ruling, but doing so would be premature because of the possibility of the prosecution filing an appeal.
We know that you might be unsure of how to handle a criminal defense case. The last thing you need is to end up with a poorly planned or executed defense. We can help you to create your defense strategy and present it in court. We can explain each option you have at each step in the case so that you are making decisions based on how the law applies to your case.