Your criminal charges need to be taken seriously. After all, there can be severe consequences if you’re convicted. So, before you take a plea deal or risk the full extent of possible penalties by taking your case to trial, you need to have a firm understanding of what’s at stake in your case.
In this post we want to take a broad look at the potential ramifications you could face if you’re convicted.
What are the consequences of criminal conviction?
There’s more harm caused by a criminal conviction than many people realize. This includes each of the following potential ramifications:
- Incarceration: This is usually top of mind for those who are accused of criminal wrongdoing, and for good reason. Jail or prison time strips you of your freedom and takes you away from your family and friends. It also derails the life you’ve worked hard to build. So, be sure to have a full understanding of the risk of incarceration in your case before choosing the criminal defense path that’s right for you.
- Fines and restitution: Depending on the charges you’re facing, you could be threatened with fines and restitution that could financially devastate you for a long time to come.
- Professional license suspension or revocation: If your career requires some sort of professional license, then you might be at risk of having that license suspended or completely revoked if you’re convicted of a crime. This can crater your career, negating all the hard work that you put in to get where you are.
- License suspension or revocation: If you’ve been charged with a drunk driving offense, then your license will be suspended or revoked upon conviction. This not only makes certain aspects of your life inconvenient, but it might also make it challenging to maintain a job and seek medical care when needed. It can also prevent you from visiting family members and friends, thereby poking holes in your social support system.
- Child custody: If you have children who are subjected to a custody order, then your criminal conviction could be used against you to seek a custody modification with the intent of restricting your time with and access to your children. This can have a profound impact on your ability to develop a meaningful relationship with your children.
- Damage to your reputation: A criminal conviction can wreak havoc on your standing in the community. You might find that you’re shunned by those who once supported you, and you might be concerned about how your neighbors and others in the community will view you when you’re out in public.
As you can see, there’s a lot on the line in your criminal case. If you don’t mount an aggressive criminal defense, then you could be staring at several of these consequences. That’s why you have to aggressively work to build an effective legal strategy that seeks to protect your rights, your interests, and your future.
Are you ready to start building your criminal defense?
If so, then start considering what evidence you can gather to support your position while also finding statutes, rules of evidence, and case law that advances your legal arguments. Only then will know that you’ve presented the most effective criminal defense possible under the circumstances. In turn, you’ll hopefully be able to beat the prosecution and secure dismissed charges or an acquittal, or at the very least reduced charges with less severe penalties.
