Life as a criminal defense attorney is always changing and always interesting. The reality is that a large percentage of criminal defendants have done something to get themselves into the mess that they find themselves in. Of course, there are innocent defendants, but there are also those that are overcharged, underrepresented or just hoping to get the best deal and minimize collateral damage.
Last week I took another case to trial, this time in Hamilton County. My client was charged with vehicular assault and was acquitted after a lengthy bench trial. The judge was not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had committed the crimes as charged. This week another young man had assault charges dismissed after we were able to provide the prosecution with additional evidence and communications between the “victim” and the defendant. Other cases this week involved dismissal of charges and expungement of prior conviction.
Even after handling 40+ DUI cases per year for well over 20 years, each and every case is different. There may be certain facts that change, the law is often changing whether from changes in statutes or case law, and the prosecutors and judges change every year. Additionally, every defendant differs in their criminal history, familial responsibilities, educational background, work history and continuation, drug &/or alcohol and mental health history. Often some or all of these factors should be taken into account by the courts, especially when determining an appropriate outcome.
While many cases do lead to negotiated plea agreements, there are also many cases which should proceed to trial. An experienced criminal defense attorney should be able to assist the defendant and advise when to enter a plea and when to proceed to either a bench or jury trial. For consultation in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, contact Michael Bouldin by email at [email protected] or call 859-581-6453. Contact Link