Maryland Robbery Lawyer
Some people mistakenly believe that robbery is another word for theft. When someone is charged with a robbery that means they used some kind of force to steal from another person. It is a felony and is treated more seriously than a regular felony theft because it is seen as crime of violence combined with the crime of theft which makes it all the more important to hire an experienced Maryland criminal defense lawyer.
The person could be charged with armed robbery, which means they used a weapon during the course of the event. They could also just be charged with taking something from another person with a threat of force or use of force that did not involve the use of a weapon of some kind.
Qualities to Search for in a Maryland Robbery Attorney
An individual should find an attorney with a significant amount of experience in criminal law and jury trials. When a person is charged with robbery and indicted subsequently on those charges, the criminal charge is handled by the circuit court. If the matter goes to trial the individual should have a trial by jury. The jury determines whether the government satisfied their burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Having a trial before a jury for a robbery case requires a Maryland lawyer with a great deal of experience. The charges are extremely serious, so a person wants to work with a dedicated Maryland robbery attorney who has previously handled these kinds of cases in front of a jury.
Properly Vetting Attorneys
To determine if a lawyer has trial experience, a person should search for the attorney’s name online. There should be a number of reviews on many different internet search engines and search sites if that attorney is reputable. The information found online provides a person with an understanding of the experiences of prior clients with this attorney. Prior clients may discuss the kinds of cases in which the attorney represented them. There may also be profiles of how long the attorney has been practicing law.
Beyond that, a person should make sure they are working with an attorney who has relationships in the particular jurisdiction where the person is charged. If the attorney handled many cases in the jurisdiction, that information can be found online. A person could also find out this information by asking the attorney for answers to their questions.
When someone’s Maryland robbery attorney has experience with criminal prosecution, they know the prosecutors, judges, police officers, and staff members at the courthouse. An individual should ask their attorney about his or her relationships with these people. It could be the difference between having a great resolution on the case and having no resolution at all.
Proving Elements of Robbery
If robbery cases were not captured on surveillance cameras, they probably involve witnesses who are not police officers. Interestingly, robbery cases often involve witnesses who might have something to gain by the allegation of robbery. The witness might know the person they are making the allegation against or they might have a bias of their own. They might be trying to do any number of things for personal gain by making the allegation of robbery against the person charged with it.
It is important to evaluate the case in its entirety to understand the circumstances, the allegations about what happened, and whether an investigation by the defense demonstrates that the allegations against the client are flawed based on the witnesses and their credibility.