An arraignment is your initial appearance in court for your criminal defense case. It is one of your constitutional rights to be presented with the charges against you. It is one of the defendant’s first chances to appear in front of the judge, even though your case will not be won at an arraignment. However, do not make the mistake of thinking that the arraignment is a formality.
Defense attorneys often rely on expert witnesses in making their case to the jury. In actuality, these can be a broad category of people who can provide different types of assistance to the defense’s case. Given that the prosecutor must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, an expert witness could help cast doubt on the case being made against you. The type of expert witness that you may use depends on the case against you. Most of us think that an expert witness will take the stand to give their opinion on the evidence against you. As you will see below, that is typically the case, but not always so.
Even though prosecutors must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt to obtain a conviction, they have a number of advantages over criminal defendants. While the law demands that you are innocent until proven guilty, prosecutors have a number of powerful tools that they can use to further their chances of winning a conviction, making it even more important for you to have a tough and experienced criminal defense attorney.
Who you choose as a criminal defense attorney could make a large difference in the outcome of your case. Not every attorney is the same. Different attorneys have varying styles, and some make work better for your situation. Between price, level of service, and legal strategy, you are putting quite a bit in your lawyer’s hands. Oftentimes, you do not have a long period of time to decide on a lawyer. Here are some things to look for when you are choosing a criminal defense attorney.
The rules about removing arrest records in Wisconsin can be complex. You have every interest in having a clean record. Arrests and convictions can show up on a background check, and they can harm your ability to move on with your life. If expungement or removal is an option for you, it is something that you should certainly pursue. First, you need to understand the state’s laws and how to get the information removed.
People who have been convicted of a crime could face consequences years into the future. So long as the crime remains on your record, others will be able to view it with a simple background check. When you are trying to find a job or a place to live, a background check could complicate things for you. Currently, Wisconsin is in the process of changing its laws to make expunging criminal records easier, in line with a national trend of criminal justice reform. However, the current laws are more restrictive. Nonetheless, it is possible to remove some convictions from your record.
When you are applying for a job or up for a background check, one of your bigger worries is that people will find your criminal records. Such a discovery could make them take back a job offer or keep them from giving you a place to live. Even after your sentence is completed, you may be living with the effects of a conviction for the rest of your life. In fact, anyone with the knowledge (or who is obligated) can access much of your criminal record (including potential partners and friends) and leaves you vulnerable to the other effects of criminal charges. Mistakes that you make can follow you in life for a long time.
This is the second post in our series about possible defenses to Wisconsin criminal charges. Some of these may apply to you. If they do, you can rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned as we fight for your legal rights. With that in mind, here are some additional ways that you can dispute the criminal charges against you and either have the case thrown out of court or win acquittal from a judge or jury.
If you have been charged with a crime in Wisconsin, your lawyer will look for all possible defenses to see if there is a way to fight the charges. Depending on the facts, there are a wide variety of legal defenses available. Here are some of the possible ways that you can try to contest the case against you that the prosecution brings.
Criminal justice reform has a long way to go in Wisconsin. Along with being one of the most difficult states to get an expungement of your criminal record, the state has many other laws on the books that are very unfavorable to defendants. One is a law that automatically charges every 17-year-old who has been arrested as an adult, practically ensuring that they will begin their life with a criminal record that could be very hard to clear. While Wisconsin allows for expungement of criminal records when the defendant was under 25 when the crime was committed, this policy does not cover all crimes. This law seems more unfair and out of place in the current time. Therefore, efforts are underway to change this.