Prairie Grove
Criminal Defense Lawyer
Contact us first if you’ve been arrested on a criminal charge in Prairie Grove!
One of the basic precedents underlying our criminal justice system is the right to a competent defense if you have been charged with a crime. No matter what crime you are believed to have committed, you are entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. This puts the burden of proof on the prosecution, who must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A good defense attorney can use this to your advantage, but in order to do so, you must take advantage of the many strong rights you are guaranteed under Illinois law.
One of the rights that you should excercise is the right to remain silent. This is such an important right that it is contained within the required Miranda warning that police must read to you after an arrest if they want any statements you make to be admissable in court:
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.
The Miranda warning only takes effect after an arrest is made. If you were not read your Miranda rights after being arrested and before questioning, your case may still be heard in court but the evidence obtained will not be admissable.
The second right you should immediately exercise after an arrest is the right to an attorney. You are guaranteed the right to legal representation if you have been accused of a crime. Your attorney may be a public defender or one that you hire privately. A good rule of thumb is to always hire the best lawyer you can afford. This doesn’t mean you should hire the most expensive lawyer, but rather the most qualified even if they are more expense. The consequences of even a misdemeanor conviction on your permanent record can have a lot of unexpected consequences, such as being barred from certain types of employment, the inability to get financial aid for your education, or even difficulty in renting an apartment (which often requires a background check).
If you have been accused of a crime in Prairie Grove, your first imperitave should be to hire a criminal defense attorney who qualified. Make sure that the attorney you choose has extensive experience in defending the type of crime of which you have been accused. Referrals, the attorney’s website, and lawyer review sites such as Avvo.com, LegalZoom.com, and Justia.com (to name but a few) are a great starting point for researching an effective criminal defense lawyer. Make a list of potential lawyers and arrange a consultation with them – most lawyers offer free initial consultations. Don’t expect a lot of legal advice this way, as they will want you to hire them before advising you, so instead focus on asking for specifics like their success rate, availability, pricing, and so on. Making a list of questions before the consultation will be very helpful. If you don’t feel comfortable with a particular lawyer, you needn’t feel obligated to hire him/her.
Attorney David B. Franks has more than fifteen years of criminal prosecution and defense experience. He can provide you with an aggressive defense that will give you the best possible outcome in your case. Attorney Franks’ bio and qualifications as well as client testimonials are available on this site and may be helpful to you in deciding to contact him.