Criminal law encompasses the legal components that define an individual’s criminal acts and helps determine the length and degree of punishment depending on the crime's seriousness. It is the duty of a Georgia Criminal Lawyer to represent and protect the rights of an accused in criminal proceedings, and may begin from the time of arrest and entering of court pleas to pretrial hearings and the actual trials and motions, as well as proposing necessary post-trial remedies.

Crimes may be felonies or misdemeanors, or may include first-degree crimes which are very serious in nature. Criminal lawyers represent persons who face criminal charges ranging from fraud and embezzlement, kidnapping, treason, theft and so on to first degree crimes including murder and assault. To obtain a conviction, the state must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the crime for which an accused is charged, and present the requisite evidence when giving a verdict.

The criminal justice process involves several stages beginning from a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding the case. A law enforcement investigation may begin with a search warrant to determine the probable cause of the injury or harm that the crime has caused. Sometimes interrogation techniques are employed where witnesses and even potential suspects are questioned, while keeping in line their constitutional rights. In such situations it is vital that the defendants have a legal representation to help protect their interests. An arrest may be warranted if the law enforcement officers have reason to suspect that a crime has been committed by a specific person, and this involves taking them into custody. Arrests may be made with pr without a warrant depending on the circumstances leading to the arrest and the presence of reliable witnesses. Arrests in a public place, for instance, do not require a warrant. However arresting a suspect in a private place may require a warrant unless the police believe that the suspect is likely to flee.

Once a criminal charge has been filed in court, the process of arraignment begins with a formal presentation of charges in open court. An experienced Georgia criminal attorneywillbe well versed in the proceedings and the preliminary hearing of the case and the state guidelines that need to be followed to help defend the accused adequately. A criminal lawyer will also assist in filing for bail and in plea negotiations with the prosecutors to help lighten the sentence or ensure a fair outcome in the case.

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