No matter how many times people have attempted to answer this question, each generation will continue to ask it until the world ends. High-profile cases in which well-known criminals are defended and acquitted in court often turn the public against the criminal lawyers who defended them. Or when the public finds out later that the person was guilty all along and the lawyer still defended them, the reaction is justifiably adverse. Criminal lawyers in Winnipeg may be the best at what they do but aren’t forgiven for this fact either.
Let’s assume that you have gotten yourself in a bind and need legal assistance. You have been accused of a criminal charge, and you have hired top Winnipeg lawyers to represent you. Deep down, you know that you have done something wrong but may not be guilty of the exact crime you’re charged with. It’s obvious that you do not wish to face the harsh punishment that the prosecution seeks.
Before committing to a lawyer, you might have these questions in mind:
- Has your lawyer decided whether or not you have committed the crime?
- Can your lawyer defend you to the best of his/her capabilities by putting aside personal opinions and biases?
After doing your research, you will realise that most criminal lawyers do not care one way or another about Number 1: They don’t even wish to know what you did since it’s not their job to decide the client’s innocence or guilt. The main priority is Number 2: can your hired lawyer defend you the way you deserve since it’s their duty to provide you with the best possible defence for the crime you are charged with.
For this reason only, you must seek legal counsel who put their responsibility above all else and do everything in their power to build a thorough defence.
How Do Criminal Lawyers In Winnipeg Defend Someone Guilty?
Two aspects determine the answer to this question. Firstly there is a disparity between “legal guilt” and “factual guilt.” Secondly, lawyers have chosen this profession with confidence that they can uphold their legal responsibilities towards their clients.
What Happens In A Trial?
A criminal lawyer defends you against the charges that are presented. In order for charges to be brought, only ‘probable cause’ that a crime has been committed. During the trial, the prosecutor must prove beyond a ‘reasonable doubt’ that you have committed the crime you are charged with.
The conviction is not a cakewalk, which is why ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ is set as standard. The prosecution shoulders the burden of proving or failing to prove your guilt of the crime and not about knowing if you are, in reality, guilty or not.
What Does ‘Guilty’ Mean?
The court distinguishes between ‘factual and legal guilt.’ Your trial is not based on ‘factual guilt’—the question that answers whether you’re guilty or not. The trial discusses ‘legal guilt’: which means if the prosecution can provide enough evidence that proves beyond a doubt that you are guilty.
The top Winnipeg lawyers won’t question your actual guilt because it’s not relevant to the case. Their job is to defend you and not find out the truth about the situation. Legal justice is structured in a way that keeps the system upright and honest. The judges hold the gavel and not the lawyers.
What Happens If The ‘Truth’ Comes Out?
Even if a client admits to ‘guilt,’ the lawyer is never a hundred percent sure that it is the truth. The client may be covering up for someone, and many other factors can be at play behind a confession. Specific standards are in place to ensure that lawyers do their job, which means that they cannot withhold information about the case or offer false evidence.
Criminal lawyers in Winnipeg defend clients regardless of guilt since every person has the right to be vigorously defended in court. Even if popular culture fails to understand the importance of criminal attorneys, it does not make them any less indispensable to the justice system. Only when one finds himself on the other side that he will realize their importance.