If someone is charged with a crime, the one person that can be their saving grace is a criminal defense attorney. Take note of the latest high-profile crimes in the news and you will always see even those criminals who are obviously guilty have an attorney fighting for them in court. These professionals take pride in making sure every last individual gets a fair shot at proving their case. However, if you never have personal experience with a criminal charge, it is likely that you will come across occasional questions about the attorney who seems to represent just about anyone.  

Why would an attorney choose to represent those criminals that are obviously guilty?

In criminal defense, this question is often referred to as "the big question" because it is a common curiosity among the general public to wonder why anyone would set out to defend someone who had committed an obvious crime. In general terms, many criminal defense lawyers take interest in the "other" side of the law simply because they believe in the idea that justice can only come if there are lawyers on both sides that are fully capable of doing their job. However, for each criminal defense attorney, there is their own personal interest in defending the obviously guilty. It could be anything from a desire to work with clients who are flawed to having a sincere interest in making sure the court gets the full side of a defendant's story. 

Do criminal defense lawyers actually believe that their client's are always innocent?

Even though it may seem like it should be an important factor, whether or not the criminal defense attorney actually believes that their client is innocent or guilty may not always be relevant. In a lot of cases, the criminal defense attorney does not ask a client directly if they are actually guilty of the crime, and instead focus on gathering facts and information. These lawyers are bound ethically to represent their client to the best of their abilities, whether they believe they are guilty or not. 

The guilt of the client is not up to the attorney representing, but the court, judge, and jury. Additionally, it is worth noting that the intention of a criminal defense attorney is working to supply facts in a way that helps their client only be found factually guilty and not just guilty based on assumptions of those who are pressing charges or the law. So if you ever get the chance to converse with a criminal defense attorney and ask questions, go for it. You may be surprised to hear the answers they give. Contact a practice, such as Scott L. Kramer Law Office, for more information.