Do I Need a Lawyer to Represent Me in Court?
A courtroom is an adversarial environment that could be compared to a battleground. The stakes in a criminal case are significant and the results of a trial can have profound impact on the life of a defendant. Additionally, court is a foreign place to most lay people. The rules that govern behavior in a court of law are not well known to those outside the legal system who do not have the training, the license to practice law, and the experience to influence events that occur in a criminal courtroom.
Success in a Courtroom
As discussed in our last article at least three factors enter into success in a courtroom: 1.) a sound working knowledge of Statute Law and how it is applied, 2.) a working knowledge of Case Law and how precedent can be applied to the matter at hand, and 3.) a working knowledge of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, which govern every aspect of a case from arrest to verdict. In particular the procedural rules in a courtroom can seriously affect the outcome of a case.
Knowing how to present a case using correct procedure is certainly important but knowing when the opposing side misapplies a statute or a precedent or attempts to make a motion which breaks procedural rules is equally important and can spell the difference between success and failure in a criminal case. All of the foregoing represent knowledge that very few non-lawyers would know or with which they would have experience in normal life.
Nevada Supreme Court sets up Commission on Statewide Rules of Criminal Procedure
Many lawyers spend their careers learning Rules of Procedure and how they can impact a case. While there are many common rules of procedure, each judge may focus on particular rules to the exclusion of others so that procedures may be different from courtroom to courtroom. The Nevada Supreme Court, set up a commission in 2015, made up of judges and legal professionals across the state, to attempt to “…address a lack of uniformity…” and recommend consistent procedure rules for all criminal proceedings in the state of Nevada. The work of this commission is ongoing. Ultimately, the commission will report their findings and recommendations to the Nevada Supreme Court. (See also: UNLV Nevada Law Journal article)
What does this all mean to you as a defendant?
It means that as a defendant, you should no sooner enter a criminal courtroom without a lawyer representing you, than stepping out in front of a bus on a busy street. You are likely not equipped to understand the arcane proceedings which can significantly affect the outcome of your criminal case.
The Defenders Knows How to Present your case
The lawyers of The Defenders are students of the law and will work diligently to provide an aggressive defense to obtain the best settlement for you in a criminal proceeding. Each case is different, and application of their knowledge of the law, precedent, and rules of procedure will be employed to protect your rights under the law to obtain justice for you. If you need a criminal lawyer, call our office today at (702) 333-3333.
Learn More:
https://nvcourts.gov/AOC/Committees_and_Commissions/Criminal_Procedure/Overview/
https://scholars.law.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=nljforum
