Last week this New Orleans criminal defense law blog discussed the important part that statutes of limitations play in the process of defending oneself against criminal charges. If a prosecutor fails to pursue charges against an individual within the statutorily established period of time for the relevant crime, then the individual may have a comprehensive way to avoid prosecution. However, if the prosecutor does file criminal charges against an individual in a timely manner then the individual cannot rely on the statute of limitations to help him.
In such a case an individual would likely need to create a criminal defense strategy with his personal criminal defense lawyer. A criminal defense strategy is a plan for defeating the criminal allegations lodged against an individual. Criminal defense strategies can vary greatly from charge to charge and individual to individual, and for this reason readers are encouraged to discuss their own strategies with their lawyers rather than using any of the information contained in this post as legal guidance.
Creating a criminal defense strategy often begins with an individual telling his side of the story to his lawyer. He may admit to committing the crime or he may completely deny all of the allegations. Further, he may concede that he was involved in the act but that his conduct can be explained and should not warrant criminal sanctions. Based upon the facts and evidence that an individual can gather his criminal defense strategy will begin to form.
There is more to creating a strong criminal defense strategy than knowing the facts of one’s case. Whether one may make a credible witness, whether there are clear facts that support the individual’s version of the truth and whether the individual made an admission of guilt are all factors that can play into one’s criminal defense strategy. Readers of this blog who wish to learn more about building their own strategies to combat their criminal charges may choose to speak with attorneys who work in the criminal defense field.