A licensed attorney can concentrate his or her practice in any area of law that piques his or her interest. Many lawyers choose to practice criminal law as a prosecutor or district attorney for the government, or as a defense attorney for people who have been charged with a crime. An attorney can specialize further in the field of criminal law by becoming a felony attorney. A felony attorney is a lawyer who either prosecutes felony cases or defends people accused of committing felony offenses.
Felonies and misdemeanors are the two main categories of crimes in most judicial systems around the world. Misdemeanor crimes are typically non-violent in nature, such as shoplifting, marijuana possession, or prostitution. Robbery, drug trafficking, and rape are all examples of felony crimes. As a result, misdemeanor crimes often carry a maximum sentence of a year or two in prison, whereas felony crimes can carry much longer sentences.
When a person is charged with a crime, the case is assigned to a prosecutor or district attorney. A felony attorney is assigned to felony cases in many prosecutor offices, while a misdemeanor attorney is assigned to misdemeanor prosecutions. The more serious felony prosecutions are usually handled by attorneys with more experience. A felony attorney’s job, from the prosecution’s perspective, is to ensure that the defendant is convicted of the crime for which he or she is charged.
When a defendant is charged with a felony, he or she will frequently retain the services of a felony attorney to represent him or her throughout the legal process. An attorney for the defendant will begin by attempting to secure the defendant’s release on bond or bail. In many cases, this will necessitate the filing of a motion with the court and attendance at a hearing on the defendant’s behalf.
The investigation and analysis of the prosecution’s case against the defendant is the next step in a felony case. This may entail looking over physical evidence and/or taking depositions from witnesses. If the defendant is guilty and the prosecution appears to have enough evidence to convict the defendant, a felony attorney will often explore the possibility of reaching a plea agreement with the prosecution after analyzing the case against the defendant.
If a plea agreement is not possible, the case will be prepared for trial by a felony attorney. A judge or a jury may preside over a trial. At this point, a defense attorney’s job is to defend the defendant and create enough doubt in the minds of the judge and jury members so that the defendant is acquitted.