Photo of Legal Team at Talley Turner Stice & Bertman

Think. Fight. Win.

  1. Home
  2.  | 
  3. Criminal Defense
  4.  | What You Need To Know About Criminal Courts

Get Answers To Your Questions About The Criminal Courts

If you are arrested and charged with a crime, you may be unsure of what to expect from the criminal courts. Understanding what it means to get a guilty conviction and how a conviction can affect your life can help you learn the seriousness of your situation.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Before assuming you’re guilty of the crime you’ve been charged with, it’s important to consider how the criminal court system works. Your criminal defense attorney in Oklahoma City can be your key resource in helping build up a defense in your favor. When the jury deliberates in court, they won’t find you guilty unless they can say that you’re guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Your lawyer’s job is to put reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury. For example, in a drug possession case, the police may have found you with drugs, but the jury needs to know that the drugs were yours before agreeing that you are guilty of a crime. The drugs could have easily been planted on you, or you may not have known they were drugs in the first place. This doubt can get your charges dismissed.

How a Conviction Can Affect Your Life

You may not think it’s essential to hire a lawyer but taking the chance of having a conviction on your record can cost you more than you think. Even a misdemeanor criminal charge can leave a lasting scar on your character. Whether you shoplifted once as a young adult or your anger flared up, and you found yourself in a fight and facing an assault charge, you won’t always have a chance to explain yourself to others.

With a conviction on your record, the world will see you as a criminal, no matter why you did what you did. Unfortunately, the world usually doesn’t have time to hear your story. They’ll see what’s on the piece of paper and make assumptions about who you are as a person. That’s why it’s so important to keep your record clean.

Start Building Your Defense Now

No matter the circumstances of your criminal charges, it is critical that you contact an attorney who can protect your civil rights. The experienced attorneys at Talley, Turner, Stice & Bertman can help you create a strong defense. Contact our Norman office now by calling 405-467-2858 or by sending us an email.