Whether you're hoping to enjoy the hospitality of your local jail or simply feel the need to commit to some involuntary community service hours, there are several good ways to ensure that this is the outcome of any criminal charges you face. As an added benefit, taking these steps will almost guarantee you the ongoing attention of local law enforcement and will relieve you of any disposable income you might have.

Dealing with Law Enforcement

If you hope to do as much damage as possible to your criminal defense, it all starts with how you interact with police and other law enforcement personnel. Being confrontational, ignoring their directions, and offering as much disrespect as you can will go a long way to furthering your goal. At the very least, you'll be certain to rack up several extra misdemeanor offenses by the time you appear at your bail hearing.

If you end up getting arrested and booked on any charges, make sure you're as belligerent as possible and resist any effort to complete your processing. This will ensure that you'll be invited to stay for several additional hours before you're taken before a judge for arraignment. Better still, your behavior prior to your bail hearing will go a long way toward determining how much your bail ends up being set at, so the more you misbehave the more money you'll get to pay to the court or a bail bond service.

The Challenge of Trials

Not every criminal case goes to trial, and many prosecutors will offer reduced sentences or lowered charges to those with low-priority offenses. Make sure you refuse all of these, especially if you know you're guilty of the crime in question, and charge headlong into a trial. Refuse all legal advice on the matter, too, and look for the most severe possible outcome.

At trial, most people look for the most qualified attorney they can afford, but if you want to do as much damage to your defense effort as possible you should simply forego such a step. A qualified defense attorney is obligated to do everything they can to keep you out of jail, or at least lower the severity of the charges against you. By defending yourself you can maintain complete control of the process that will almost certainly put you in prison or send you away with a mountain of fines.

In all seriousness, criminal charges are no laughing matter, even if you choose to believe otherwise. With the right attorney, and a high degree of respect for the men and women handling the proceedings, your run-in with the legal system can be far less unpleasant than you might expect. The choice is yours, but remember that a relatively painless experience is possible if you take the right approach. For more advice on how to handle a criminal case, talk to a lawyer from Thomas A Corletta.

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