Knowing your husband was arrested for an alleged crime can be a stressful experience for you and your family. Naturally, you would like to know what you can do to help your husband during this challenging time. Fortunately, there is a way you can help your loved one with their case. As you will learn through this article, you may be able to hire a criminal defense lawyer for your husband. Our Ventura criminal defense lawyers at The Law Offices of Bamieh & De Smeth PLC invite you to keep reading as we expand on the possibility of paying for your husband’s criminal defense lawyer.
Can I Pay for My Husband’s Criminal Defense Lawyer?
For most people, the next logical step after learning their loved one was arrested is to get them competent legal representation. However, you may have no idea how the whole thing works – or whether you can pay for your husband’s criminal defense at all. Fortunately, you can become a third-party payor and hire a criminal defense lawyer for your husband. Hiring a lawyer for another person – in this case, your husband – works similarly to hiring one for yourself. However, there are different things to consider when becoming a third-party payor in your husband’s criminal defense.
Generally, lawyers can only receive payment from their clients. This is an ethical and professional rule governing every lawyer’s profession. However, there is an exception that may allow you to pay for your husband’s legal counsel. Your husband’s criminal defense attorney can accept payment from you as long as the client gives informed consent.
Furthermore, it is essential to understand that paying for your husband’s criminal defense lawyer doesn’t make you the client. This means you can’t ask for information and be kept up to date with your husband’s case details. However, your husband can consent to share privileged information about his case, provided his consent is freely and voluntarily given.
Choosing a Criminal Defense Lawyer for Hire for Your Husband
As we discussed before, you can hire a criminal defense lawyer for your husband. However, which criminal defense lawyer may be the best to handle your husband’s case? Generally, you may need to choose between two kinds of lawyers: a private criminal defense attorney or a public defender.
Public defenders are court-appointed law professionals in cases where the defendant can’t pay for private counsel. These lawyers can handle your husband’s case for free. This may sound like a great idea on paper, but “free” legal services don’t necessarily translate to an efficient handling of your husband’s case. While public defenders are well-prepared and capable legal professionals, they may not have the time and resources to handle your husband’s case appropriately. Most of the time, public defenders have to handle numerous cases at once, which gives them little time to dedicate it to your husband’s case. This may be inconvenient for your husband’s case, especially if he faces criminal offenses such as drug charges and vehicular manslaughter.
Unlike public defenders, private attorneys charge a fee for their services. Private criminal defense lawyers can provide you with dedicated and focused legal counsel. However, many people may refrain from hiring a private attorney, thinking they cannot afford it. Nonetheless, many lawyers can sit down with their clients and work out a plan to cover their expenses. Getting assistance from a private criminal defense lawyer can help your husband’s case, especially if the charges are complex, like those for violent crimes.
Steps in a Criminal Case After Your Husband is Arrested
Many components make up the criminal process. The first step in your husband’s case is his arrest, booking, and arraignment hearing. After being put under arrest, your husband will be escorted to the county jail, where police officers will gather his personal information, take prints, and a mugshot. Once the booking process finishes – and depending on the nature of his charges – your husband will go through the arraignment. At this point, a judge will read the charges against your husband and determine bail. This is also the point where the defendant may enter into a plea bargain.
After the bail hearing, your husband may be released until the next court hearing. The next court-scheduled appointment should be the preliminary hearing. At this stage, the judge will determine whether there is enough probable cause to continue with the case against your husband. If there is probable cause, the court will set a trial date. Throughout the trial, the prosecution will present evidence to show your husband was guilty. If proven beyond a reasonable doubt, your husband may be convicted of the alleged crime.
While this is a simplified version of what criminal procedure may look like, it shows the multiple moving parts that make it up. Furthermore, the information above serves to explain why competent legal counsel is necessary.
Your husband should have legal representation by his side at all times. Some people may choose to represent themselves in court. However, this can be risky, as the courts will expect you to meet all requirements set by the criminal procedure law. If you have little or no experience with the criminal process, you may make a mistake that can cost you your freedom. A skilled criminal defense attorney can help you defend your rights and guide you through your case. In addition to representing you in court, your criminal defense attorney can also help you during the appeals process if needed.
Criminal Defense Attorneys Offering Free Consultations
If your husband was arrested and charged with a crime, you need to act quickly. The faster you act following your husband’s arrest, the better his chances of building a robust defense. Our criminal defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Bamieh & De Smeth PLC can help you defend your constitutional rights and guide you through the criminal process. Call our law offices today for a free, confidential consultation. Our phone number is (805) 643-5555.
