If you are convicted of the charges against you, the role of your criminal defense attorney in Fort Worth will be to try to have your sentence minimized or to have the judge allow for alternative forms of sentence. There are certain steps your attorney can take to try to accomplish this.

Use character witnesses

Most judges do not want to hear more long-winded testimony at the sentencing hearing. However, having a close friend or spouse testify to your remorse and inherent goodness, and that you have already taken steps to rehabilitate yourself or make amends for your crime, may prove helpful. This witness does not need to testify in court; they can also write a letter to the count.

Another type of witness who may be able to help at sentencing is a public servant or community leader who is familiar with your character and willing to testify in public that they think highly of you. If a public person can testify that you have made a difference in the community through charitable deeds, that can go a long way to impressing the judge. Note that this type of testimony at sentencing is only effective if the witness is likely to be respected by the judge and knows the defendant well.

Check with the prosecutor

Alternatively, your lawyer might check the prosecutor’s temperature on whether alternatives such as probation or treatment are on the table. Prosecutors often like to think of themselves as reasonable rather than bloodthirsty, so they might be amenable to an argument that a defendant who suffered from depression and developed an addiction problem would be better off in a treatment program than in prison.

Contact a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Worth

For more information on what you can do to improve your chances during your criminal case, contact a criminal defense attorney in Fort Worth. Call Bryan Hoeller at 877-208-3382.