It is not always that you find yourself on the right side of the law. There are even times that you find that an innocent person is arrested and taken before a court of law. The criminal process is generally the same in all states the only difference is the procedures used in different states. If you have a criminal suit facing you, it is good that you get a criminal defense lawyer in Cook County, IL to help you.
The interest of the criminal process is to ascertain whether the prosecution has enough evidence to show that you are the one who committed the crime you are accused of. The presumption of law is that you are innocent until you are proven innocent. The burden of proof lies with the prosecution to show that you are guilty.
The process starts with the arrest by the police. The way the arrest is made is important in your case. Upon arrest, you are not obliged to give the officers any information. This is the right to remain silent. The police inform you of this right as well as the right to legal representation. If the police decide to question you, they should do so in the presence of your lawyer in case you chose to have one.
The police may then decide to hold you in their custody until the set day for you to be arraigned in court. They may also release you with instructions to attend the court on the day of your arraignment. If you fail to appear on the set date, the judge will issue a warrant of arrest against you.
When you are arraigned in court, you are required to take plea. It is important that you contact a criminal defense lawyer at Giannola Legal LLC in Cook County, IL, to be present when you are taking plea. You can either plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead guilty, the judge sets the date for the ruling if he or she does not do it at that time. If you plead not guilty, the judge sets the date when your case will begin. At this time, the judge may issue bail.
