Westport Police Investigation Lawyer
To make sure your rights are protected and your best interests are looked after during the investigation process, it is usually essential to seek help from a top criminal defense attorney. By retaining a knowledgeable Westport police investigation lawyer, you can put yourself in the best possible position to defend yourself effectively and build a strong counterargument to the prosecution’s allegations.
What Are My Fundamental Rights While Being Investigated by Police?
Under the United States Constitution and the Connecticut State Constitution, you have a number of rights that cannot be violated at any time during a police investigation. Once retained, a Westport police investigation attorney could work to ensure your rights are maintained and, if necessary, contest evidence gathered in violation of those rights.
What Are My Fourth Amendment Rights?
The purpose of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is to ensure citizens are not subjected to “unreasonable searches and seizures” by law enforcement. In practice, this means that police officers must obtain a warrant from a judge based on probable cause before they can commence with an investigation, and they also must limit their investigation to the specific offense their warrant allows them to investigate.
What Does the Fifth Amendment Right Protect?
The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution essentially guarantees citizens the right to remain silent. More specifically, it prevents law enforcement from compelling a person to incriminate themselves or provide evidence that could lead to their criminal conviction, whether during an investigation or after charges have been filed against them. It also guarantees the right to legal representation during police investigations.
How Does My Sixth Amendment Right Protect Me?
Similar to a portion of the Fifth Amendment, the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution extends the fundamental right to an attorney throughout an entire criminal trial. Anyone investigated for or formally charged with a crime in Westport can retain their own attorney from the start of the investigation into them all the way to the end of the trial, as well as during any subsequent appeal. Furthermore, the state must provide a defendant with legal representation if they cannot afford it independently.
What Is The Role of an Attorney During Investigations?
The first thing anyone in Westport who suspects or knows they are under police investigation should do is contact a qualified criminal defense lawyer. Law enforcement officers are very much aware of what state and federal law allows and does not allow them to do, and they will almost certainly have an advantage against any defendant not represented by a legal professional.
Once hired, a police investigation lawyer could undertake an investigation of their own, seeking evidence that corroborate a defendant’s testimony and supports their legal position. They could—and ideally should—also speak to law enforcement on a defendant’s behalf, in order to ensure no mistakes are made that could inadvertently hamper their defense.
Seek Professional Assistance from a Westport Police Investigation Attorney
A Westport police investigation lawyer can defend your rights and best interests from start to finish of your criminal case. Read our certified 5-star avvo.com reviews here, and call Mark Sherman Law today to learn more or to set up an initial consultation.