Since most private attorneys have years of experience in criminal law, either as a prosecutor or as a Public Defender. A defendant should not have to compromise quality to find an attorney with local experience with their type of case.<\/p>\n
The Personal Factor<\/h3>\n
A defendant’s lawyer acts as the defendant’s spokesperson throughout legal proceedings. Regardless of how highly regarded a lawyer is, it is equally important that the defendant be personally comfortable with the lawyer. The best attorney-client relationship is one in which the client is a full partner in decision-making. Defendants should try to find lawyers who see them as partners, not just as a case file.
\nDefendants should consider the following questions when deciding whether to choose a particular lawyer:<\/p>\n
- \n
- “Does this attorney feel like someone with whom I can work with and communicate freely?”<\/li>\n
- “Does this lawyer explain things to me in a manner that I understand?”<\/li>\n
- “Does this lawyer demonstrate personal concern as well as a sincere desire to help?”<\/li>\n
- “Does this lawyer’s concern extend beyond the crime I’m charged with?”<\/li>\n
- “Does this lawyer seem to be the kind of person who will instill confidence in judges, prosecutors, and, if needed, jurors?”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What is Criminal Defense?<\/h2>\n
Criminal defense refers to the legal representation provided to individuals who have been accused of a crime in Kern County, California. When an individual is charged with a crime, they have the right to defend themselves against the allegations in a court of law. A criminal defense attorney can help an individual understand their rights and options, and work to develop a defense strategy to challenge the charges against them. The ultimate goal of criminal defense is to protect the accused individual’s rights and freedom and to help them obtain a fair outcome in their case.<\/p>\n
What are the Types of Criminal Defense that Can Be Used in Kern County, California?<\/h2>\n
Many different types of criminal defense can be used in Kern County, California, depending on the specific circumstances of a case. Some common types of criminal defense include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Self-defense<\/strong>: This defense asserts that the accused person used force in order to protect themselves or others from harm.<\/li>\n
- Insanity<\/strong>: This defense argues that the accused person was not capable of understanding the nature of their actions or that the actions were wrong due to a mental illness.<\/li>\n
- Alibi:<\/strong> This defense claims that the accused person was not present at the time and place the crime was committed.<\/li>\n
- Mistake of fact<\/strong>: This defense argues that the accused person made an honest and reasonable mistake about a fact related to the crime.<\/li>\n
- Duress<\/strong>: This defense claims that the accused person committed the crime under threat or coercion from another person.<\/li>\n
- Entrapment<\/strong>: This defense asserts that the accused person was induced or persuaded by law enforcement to commit a crime that they otherwise would not have committed.<\/li>\n
- Consent:<\/strong> This defense argues that the accused person had the consent of the victim to engage in the conduct that formed the basis of the charge.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It is important to note that the availability and effectiveness of these defenses will depend on the specific facts of the case and the laws of Kern County, California.<\/p>\n
What are Some of the Most Common Types of Crime?<\/h2>\n
There are various types of crimes that can be committed in Kern County, California. Some common types of crime include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Property crimes<\/strong>: These crimes involve the theft<\/a> or destruction of someone else’s property, such as burglary, vandalism, and theft.<\/li>\n
- Violent crimes<\/strong>: These crimes involve physical harm to another person, such as assault<\/a>, battery, and murder.<\/li>\n
- Drug crimes<\/strong><\/a>: These crimes involve the possession, manufacture, or distribution of illegal drugs or controlled substances.<\/li>\n
- White collar crimes<\/strong>: These crimes involve non-violent, financially motivated offenses committed by individuals or businesses, such as fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering.<\/li>\n
- Sex crimes<\/strong><\/a>: These crimes involve non-consensual sexual contact or activity, such as rape, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse.<\/li>\n
- Traffic offenses<\/strong>: These crimes involve violations of traffic laws, such as reckless driving, DUI, and hit and run.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It is important to note that the laws regarding these crimes may vary by state and jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
Is it Better to Hire a Private Attorney than a Court-Appointed Attorney?<\/h2>\n
Defendants may assume that a private attorney has a unique advantage over the overloaded public defender or panel attorneys who get paid a small fee. But do private attorneys actually provide superior representation compared to government-paid court-appointed defense counsel?
\nMany private attorneys have previously worked as public defenders or prosecutors. According to statistics from research comparing the outcomes of having a private vs court-appointed attorney, the results for defendants are mostly the same.<\/p>\nAccording to one research, defendants represented by private counsel and public defenders performed equally in terms of sentencing and conviction rates (however, those represented by panel attorneys had it worse). Because of complicated factors, such statistical evidence may not always be accurate or clear.<\/p>\n
Clients represented by private attorneys, for example, often have few or no past criminal histories, but poor defendants are twice more likely to be repeat offenders. What is equally unclear\u2014and one of the most significant uncertainties in the California criminal justice system\u2014is if private attorneys negotiate better plea bargains than court-appointed lawyers.<\/p>\n
Finally, the experience, abilities, and dedication of the specific attorney at hand\u2014whether they are a public defender, a panel attorney, or a private attorney\u2014are the strongest indicators of the quality of the representation.<\/p>\n
Self-Representation (Pro se)<\/h3>\n
What is apparent is that having a Kern County attorney to represent you is generally the best option. Even with this, some criminal defendants represent themselves in Kern County court. In the end, the judge, not the defendant, decides whether a defendant may act as his or her own attorney. Judges are tasked with deciding on the defendant’s competency. This is because a defendant who is unable to present a competent defense would not be able to receive a fair hearing, even if the defendant is insistent about refusing the services of a court-appointed attorney. A judge will consider the following factors when deciding whether a defendant can proceed pro se:<\/p>\n
- \n
- the gravity of the crime<\/li>\n
- language skills and the educational background of the defendant<\/li>\n
- whether or not the defendant is aware of the purpose of the proceedings, and<\/li>\n
- if the defendant knowingly waives his right to counsel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Kern County, California<\/h2>\n
Kern County has a population of 54.9% Hispanic as of 2020 and is California’s third-most populous Hispanic-majority county and the sixth-largest in the United States, with landscapes ranging from the stunning desert (Mojave) to the snow-covered mountains (Sierra Nevada), and the Kern River, which runs through the Kern Canyon, and vast oil and agricultural area. Kern\u2019s county seat is Bakersfield.
\nAccording to SafeWise, one of the nation’s leading security resources, Bakersfield is one of the ten most dangerous metropolitan areas in the country.<\/p>\nHigh rates of crime and theft, as well as the amount of money spent on law enforcement, are factors that come into play. Kern County’s judicial system is recognized for being conservative and hard on those accused of a crime. Some of these criminal cases involve Bakersfield residents or incidents that happen in or around Bakersfield.<\/p>\n
A criminal arrest in Bakersfield is one of the most terrifying and stressful things that can happen to you since you could be facing life-changing consequences. Your reputation is going to be damaged, and your freedoms are going to be restricted. A criminal defense lawyer is your first line of defense in this case. If you are facing trouble with law enforcement and are potentially facing a criminal conviction, contact our Kern County, California, criminal defense law firm right now and speak with one of Strongest Defense\u2019s experienced criminal defense lawyers concerning your case. An experienced legal team on your side will make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.<\/p>\n
Speak with Our Experienced Kern County, California, Criminal Defense Attorneys Now!<\/h2>\n
If you are facing criminal charges, you should consult with an attorney from our Kern County, California criminal defense law firm. A charge or conviction can make you lose everything in your life – your freedom, your job, your family, and your future.<\/p>\n
One of the most difficult aspects of dealing with the California criminal justice system is its inherent unpredictability. Unfortunately, you cannot depend on police or prosecutors to provide you with accurate information about your case. It is all too easy to jump to the worst-case scenario. A criminal charge should always be treated seriously, but being arrested does not signal the end of your life.<\/p>\n
Strongest Defense\u2019s Ventura County criminal defense lawyers are here to help you every step of the way. We’ll be there for you every step of the process, ensuring sure you understand the stakes and what’s going on with your case. Our aim is simple and clear: to provide each and every valued client with the greatest quality of client care and legal services possible. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys represent clients in a wide range of criminal offenses, including:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Aggravated assault<\/li>\n
- Domestic violence<\/a><\/li>\n
- DUI<\/a><\/li>\n
- Possession charges<\/li>\n
- Guns and drugs<\/a><\/li>\n
- Sexual assault<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Call the law office of Strongest Defense now and schedule an initial consultation with our criminal defense attorneys to get legal advice!<\/p>\n
How To Visit Our Kern County, California Law Office<\/h3>\n
![\"kern](\"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-01-06-034626-1024x658.png\")
<\/p>\nTo get to Strong Defense law firm from Kern County, California:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Head north toward Pyramid Rd<\/li>\n
- Turn right onto Pyramid Rd (0.1 mi)<\/li>\n
- Continue onto Rancheria Rd (3.6 mi)<\/li>\n
- Turn right onto CA-178 W\/<\/li>\n
- Take exit 3 for Beale Ave<\/li>\n
- Turn left onto Beale Ave<\/li>\n
- Turn right onto Lincoln St<\/li>\n
- Turn left onto the State Route 178 W ramp<\/li>\n
- Merge onto CA-178 W\/E 178 Fwy, Pass by Taco Bell (on the left in 1.9 mi)<\/li>\n
- Use the right lane to merge onto CA-99 S via the ramp to CA-58 E<\/li>\n
- Merge onto CA-99 S (22.1 mi)<\/li>\n
- Merge onto I-5 S<\/li>\n
- Take exit 172 for California 126\/Newhall Rnch Rd<\/li>\n
- Use the right 2 lanes to turn right onto CA-126 W<\/li>\n
- Use any lane to turn sharply right to stay on CA-126 W<\/li>\n
- Take exit 1C toward US-101 S<\/li>\n
- Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Victoria Ave\/County Gov\u2019t Center<\/li>\n
- Turn right onto S Victoria Ave<\/li>\n
- Turn right onto Thille St<\/li>\n
- Turn right onto County Square Dr<\/li>\n
- Turn right. Strongest Defense law firm will be on the left.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kern County, California Criminal Defense Law Firm If you live in the Kern County district area and are accused of a crime there, don’t put your freedom and resources at risk. You will need the services of a Kern County, California, criminal defense law firm with a record of success in criminal cases, and a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9113,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10052"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10052"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10062,"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10052\/revisions\/10062"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/strongestdefense.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- DUI<\/a><\/li>\n
- Violent crimes<\/strong>: These crimes involve physical harm to another person, such as assault<\/a>, battery, and murder.<\/li>\n
- Insanity<\/strong>: This defense argues that the accused person was not capable of understanding the nature of their actions or that the actions were wrong due to a mental illness.<\/li>\n
- Self-defense<\/strong>: This defense asserts that the accused person used force in order to protect themselves or others from harm.<\/li>\n