Understanding your rights when facing criminal charges

If you’ve been accused of a crime, it’s important to be aware of the rights available to you under the law. Accused individuals have a variety of rights to help ensure their fair treatment in the criminal justice system. In today’s post, we review some of these key protections.

Search and seizure

Accused individuals have Constitutional protections against unlawful searches and seizures. If the accused individual had a reasonable expectation of privacy in whatever was searched or seized, they may be able to assert that they were the subject of an unreasonable search or seizure – and any evidence that was discovered through this means may be omitted from the court proceedings.

Right to counsel

Under the Constitution, all accused individuals have the right to be represented by an attorney at their trial. Accused individuals in all criminal prosecutions have the right to assistance of counsel. They also have the right to be adequately represented.

Right to a speedy trial by a jury

Accused individuals also have the right to a speedy trial by an impartial jury of their peers, which is a protection afforded to them by the U.S. Constitution.

Accused individuals are afforded many other rights under the law – including the right to remain silent, the right to confront witnesses, the right to have a public trial and the right to not be tried twice for the same offense. To be able to effectively assert these rights, and ensure they are protected, accused individuals should consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible following an arrest. Your attorney can work with you to protect your rights and your future.