“Nobody likes a lawyer until they need one” goes to the old saying.
The reason for that little saying is because criminal lawyers in Calgary have been labelled with a false and misleading reputation. There is a perception attached that has negatively impacted criminal lawyers.
The reasons are there for all to see: a few bad apples in the industry have ruined the reputation lawyers have developed over the years. While movies and TV have created a consistent norm that criminal defence lawyers are shady, in it for the money and are all care about winning.
However, these stigmas and perceptions are untrue. Criminal lawyers in Calgary are not shady or dodgy, but hard-working professionals. Here, we break down the most common false perceptions with the truth.
Criminal Defence Lawyers Only Care About Winning, Not Justice
It is perhaps one of the negative perceptions that come with a criminal defence lawyer: they only care about winning. Justice, to lawyers, seems second. Even the American Bar Association highlighted the perception of a winning-at-all-costs-mentality when they conducted a study that highlighted “74% of those surveyed agreed that lawyers are more interested in winning than in seeing that justice is served.”
That, however, is the wrong assumption to make. Justice isn’t just about putting away a dangerous individual in jail; it is also about clearing an innocent person of their charges. It can because someone might have made a mistake, a case of wrong-place-wrong-time, or that their environment forced them into trouble. Finding justice all depends on the situation of the client, and a criminal defence lawyer is trying to get the best case for their client in a bid to prove their innocence.
It has nothing to do with winning the case, but rather providing justice by ensuring that any accused has the right to a fair day in court.
Criminal Lawyers Only Care About Money
Everyone knows that hiring a lawyer means spending vast amounts of money. So naturally, the stigma arises: do lawyers actually care about their clients or care about the money?
If you are willing to defend a person that has been charged with a crime, you must lack morality, and only care about the money, right?
The assumption, thankfully, is not valid in the slightest. A few rotten eggs have spoiled the bunch, instilling that money is all that matters. But when you look at the time, effort, the pressure that a criminal lawyer is under, and the work behind the scenes, you can see why they charge what they do. It is also based on the lawyer’s success and experience. Better lawyers will cost more, but when it comes to proving your freedom, how is the money not worth it?
Whether you need a DUI lawyer or criminal lawyer, you are entitled to a fair trial, and lawyer fees, are just part of the process.
They Are ‘Guilty By Association’
It is part and parcel in today’s environment that if you are related to, or surrounded by individuals with dodgy pasts, therefore you must be guilty by association.
The same hysteria applies to lawyers as well. If a criminal lawyer is supporting a charged individual, they, therefore, must be associating with dodgy individuals all the time. And since they are always defending accused individuals, it must be because they associate with those individuals.
This perception has negatively impacted the reputation of the lawyers. Lawyers are defending the rights of the individual, and are not necessarily associating with them outside of their work. It is part of their role to defend their client, regardless of the crime they have committed.
Someone has to associate and work with accused individuals to give them a fair trial. The accused could be innocent or in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just because a criminal defence lawyer in Calgary defends them, doesn’t mean that the lawyer is guilty by associating with them.
These are the false perceptions that criminal lawyers face daily. If you are ever in need of a lawyer, make sure that you reach out to them with a clear mind, and do not have any preconceived notions about them. You will be surprised to meet an individual behind the lawyer; someone that is dedicated to helping your case, and to get you the fair trial you deserve.
Joel Chevrefils of Alberta Criminal Defence Lawyers is here to defend you against all criminal charges. When charged with a criminal offence, such as impaired driving, domestic violence, or DUI, the first thing you should do is call your trusted Calgary criminal defence lawyer. His professionalism can help you with all concerns regarding your charges and the complex nature of Canada’s legal system. Chevrefils can help you with your charges in and outside Calgary, including Provincial Courts in Cochrane, Airdrie, Okotoks, Red Deer and Edmonton. Trust your case to Calgary’s most experienced criminal lawyer. Call Alberta Criminal Defence Lawyers today at (403) 830-1980.
