In the United States there are two branches of law; civil and criminal. Laws affect the behavior of every citizen in the US, the laws are those included in both the relevant state and federal statutes and penal code. When an individual violates one of the many laws, a criminal charge is brought against the erring individual. The crime that has been committed may be a violation of state or federal law or in many cases, both.
A criminal attorney in Orange County is an attorney who is versed in criminal law and can defend his client in whichever court the case will be tried.
A felony or a misdemeanor:
Crimes are broken into two categories, depending on the nature of the crime and the anticipated penalties, the crime will be classified as either a felony or a misdemeanor. A felony is a serious crime which carries a penalty of jail in excess of one year to death. Typical examples of felonies are murder, rape, fraud, robbery, etc.
On the other hand, a misdemeanor is a crime which is of lesser consequence and the punishment does not exceed a year in jail or a fine. A misdemeanor can be a traffic violation, trespassing, assault and battery, etc.
What is the task of a criminal attorney in Orange County?
Crimes which are criminal in nature rather than civil are considered as crimes against the state. Although there is an injured party, as the crime has serious social repercussions it is classified in this manner. The criminal defense attorney will defend the client in court and goes into court supported by the Constitutional mandate that a person is innocent until proven otherwise. It is the defense attorney’s task to identify and present evidence which supports the plea of innocence. The attorney builds the defense based on interviews of reliable witnesses and testimony. The issue is to prove innocence or to reduce the penalty to the minimum id found guilty.
Crime is growing:
Crime in the United States is growing; it is a result of the natural increase in the crime rate as much as it is as a result of many new laws which are constantly being enacted. As the number of laws increases it is not hard to find yourself on the wrong side of it and need the services of a criminal attorney in Orange County.
