In law, there are two standard kinds of off lawsuits: criminal and civil. Civil claims are lawsuits between two private parties, often two individuals. Criminal lawsuits are claims brought by the state or federal government against an individual or group.
Civil cases are initiated by the victim, and criminal cases are 
initiated by the government through a prosecutor. Criminal attorneys are those who defend the plaintiff in criminal lawsuits.
What Criminal Lawyers Do
Criminal attorneys represent their clients in lawsuits that are filed by the government. Their clients are people or groups who have been implicated in acts that are crimes of some sort. It could be a misdemeanor, which is a less serious crime like drunk driving, or it could be a felony, which is a major crime like murder that could end in prison time. It could even the death penalty. Many people think of felonies when they consider criminal lawyers, but criminal lawyers likewise represent plaintiffs who are dealing with misdemeanor charges.
Lots of people who are being charged with a crime wait to work with a legal representative. Possibly they think the charges will be dropped, or perhaps they believe that the potential penalty does not necessitate the cost of hiring a lawyer. They may think they can represent themselves in an effort to save money. Whatever the reason, this is a bad idea since criminal attorneys can often be of the most help ful at this same time.
One way that a lawyer can assist is by negotiating a dismissal of the case. Lawyers know the best ways to spot potential weaknesses in the district attorney’s defense. In some cases by presenting these 
weak points to the prosecuting lawyer, they can help to negotiate a termination of the charge before the charges are officially filed.
A lawyer can also assist a plaintiff by assisting to negotiate a plea deal. This involves an admission of a sense of guilt in return for a minimizing of the prospective repercussions and an avoidance of the courtroom appearance. Many individuals charged with misdemeanors can prevent much of the expenditure of a court case by plea-bargaining.
The service of a criminal attorney is important to see to it that your legal rights are protected throughout the judicial process. Since criminal repercussions might include fines, imprisonment, mandatory treatment, and probations, it is constantly suggested to work with a criminal legal representative with adequate knowledge and experience in the field. Numerous resources are available to locate a competent and experienced criminal legal representative. Recommendations are constantly considered to be the essential source; the name of skilled 
public sessions when criminal cases are being held in the court. If you find a specific attorney proficient enough to handle your case, you can definitely approach him/her. Professional legal companies are likewise an exceptional source of discovering a criminal attorney. Offices of organizations such as the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) in your region will have the ability to provide lists of proficient attorneys in your local area. Some companies offer recommendation services even through the Internet. Additionally, the service of regional bar associations can be made use of to collect information on a perspective criminal attorney 
such as just how much experience a certain criminal lawyer has in this field. Other sources to find competent legal representatives are phone book, yellow pages, and local newspapers.