If you have found yourself charged in a criminal matter and are scheduled to go to court, you will need to start thinking about your defense, especially if you are pleading innocent. If you have thought about representing yourself in this matter, instead of hiring a lawyer, you might want to think twice. Here are some of the reasons you should retain a criminal defense lawyer instead of representing yourself:

You Might Have Trouble Presenting Your Evidence

Evidence of your innocence is important, as that can be what gets you off the hook for whatever charges the prosecution is throwing at you. However, the evidence that you have must be presented to the courts in the correct manner and by a certain amount of time before your court date. This is so it can be processed properly and so the prosecution has time to examine the evidence. You might not do this correctly and if that is the case, then your evidence might not be used and that could result in you being found guilty. By using a criminal defense lawyer, this is not something that you will have to worry about because he or she will know how to get the evidence submitted properly and on time.

You Might Miss Your Chance To Make Your Point

In court, you need to know when you can speak, when you can object to what the prosecution is stating, and how to speak properly to the judge about this matter. If you are not familiar with how courts are ran, you might make some big mistakes that could make the judge or jurors see you in a bad light. It is much better to retain a criminal defense lawyer, as he or she will know how to defend you and how to stop the other side from going too far when it comes to trying to paint you as someone you aren't.

You do not want to take a lot of risks when it comes to your freedom potentially being taken away from you. Start looking for a local criminal defense lawyer that can start to review your case. The sooner you retain a lawyer the better, as you want them to have as much time as possible to prepare your defense. This will ensure that you have the best chance possible to get the charges dismissed after your case is heard in court.