QUESTION = What is a lawyer supposed to do when defending a person who is obviously guilty of a crime? GENERATION = The lawyer's job is to make sure the government does its job correctly. If the government is proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, then the lawyer will argue for a lighter sentence. If the government is proving the person innocent beyond a reasonable doubt, then the lawyer will argue for a heavier sentence. If the government is proving the person innocent beyond a reasonable doubt, then the lawyer will argue for a lighter sentence. If the government is proving the person innocent beyond a reasonable doubt, then the lawyer will argue for a heavier sentence. There are some cases where a lawyer can make a case that isn't clear, but the government can't prove that the person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. For example, if the government is proving that the person is the mastermind behind a terrorist attack, then the government can't prove that the person is innocent beyond a reasonable doubt. However, if the government is proving that the person is the mastermind behind a terrorist attack, then the government can't prove that the person is innocent beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyer will argue for a lighter sentence for that reason. Edit: Formatting. RETRIEVAL #0 = Criminal defense lawyer---are charged. Criminal defense lawyers may also help clients before charges have been filed by a prosecuting attorney. This is done when someone believes he or she is being investigated, or is arrested. The accused may hire a criminal defense lawyer to help with counsel and representation dealing with police or other investigators, perform his or her own investigation, and at times present exculpatory evidence that negates potential charges by the prosecutor. Criminal defense lawyers in the United States who are employed by governmental entities such as counties, state governments, and the federal government are often referred to as public defenders or court-appointed attorneys. A considerable aspect of this work requires the US criminal defense lawyer to have a clear understanding of the United States Constitution. Specifically, the Fourth Amendment protects against unlawful searches and seizures, while the Fifth and Sixth Amendments govern the right to remain silent so one does not become a witness against himself. All of the Amendments to the United States Constitution are guaranteed to the criminal accused against the states via the Fourteenth Amendment. Thus, a criminal defense lawyer must understand each of these rights. Initial work on any criminal case involves review of the charges and the claimed facts, and analysis of constitutional violations, the "prima facie" burden of the prosecution, defenses, and affirmative defenses; as well as potential sentence and sentencing issues. Early RETRIEVAL #1 = Criminal lawyer (disambiguation)---Criminal lawyer (disambiguation) Criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal conduct. Criminal lawyer may also refer to: BULLET::::- Jailhouse lawyer, a criminal who gives legal advice to other criminals while incarcerated BULLET::::- Prosecutor, in a criminal trial BULLET::::- "Criminal Lawyer" (1937 film), a 1937 American drama film directed by Christy Cabanne BULLET::::- "Criminal Lawyer" (1951 film), a 1951 film starring Pat O'Brien RETRIEVAL #2 = Criminal defense lawyer---stages of a criminal case may involve a grand jury or preliminary hearing to determine if there exists probable cause for the case to continue. A violation of the Fourth or Fifth Amendment, or other illegally obtained evidence could result in evidence being inadmissible at trial. Accordingly, a criminal defense lawyer often spends a considerable amount of time reviewing all documentation to determine if the case can be won on constitutional grounds due to illegal conduct by the government. If there are no constitutional violations, much of the work of a criminal defense attorney then turns to trial preparation. Any proposed settlement agreement must be compared to the best judgment about the outcome after trial. A criminal defense lawyer will usually discuss potential plea bargains with the prosecuting attorney, as an alternative to exercising the defendant's trial right and other rights. Plea agreements, when made, can be characterized as either charge agreements (often involving a less serious charge), sentencing agreements (involving a lesser sentence), or both. Criminal defense lawyers are typically defending people with misdemeanor or felony charges. A misdemeanor generally refers to criminal activity that is punishable by one year or less in the local jail. A felony typically refers to criminal activity that is punishable by more than one year in the prison system. Many states have "wobblers", which refers to criminal activity that is charged as a RETRIEVAL #3 = Legal malpractice---lawyer to shirk duties to a client the lawyer knows to be guilty. Section::::See also. BULLET::::- Fiduciary management BULLET::::- Ineffective assistance of counsel BULLET::::- Legal abuse BULLET::::- Malpractice BULLET::::- Professional responsibility RETRIEVAL #4 = Public defender (United States)---who can petition the Court for the expenditure of expert witness funds and funds for critical items like official transcripts of hearings for use at trial. Section::::Legal issues. Section::::Legal issues.:Conflict of interest. Because conflict of interest problems could exist where multiple defendants participated in a single crime, only one person in a group of co-defendants will be assigned an attorney from a public defender office. For many defendants, it is in their best interest to testify against co-defendants in exchange for a reduced sentence. To ensure that each defendant is afforded his constitutional right to an effective defense, jurisdictions may have several public defender entities, or a "conflict panel" of private practice attorneys. This enables the court to assign each defendant an attorney from a completely separate office, thereby guarding against the risk of one client's privileged information accidentally falling into the hands of another client's attorney. Some jurisdictions, like in Los Angeles County, employ a separate entity for legal representation called the Alternate Public Defender's office. Any further conflicts are handled by court-appointed private attorneys. Section::::Legal issues.:Appeals. Notably, the landmark "Gideon" case only gives an indigent criminal defendant a right to be represented at "trial" and upon the first appeal as of right. But the Supreme Court has held that there is no right to representation for discretionary appeals RETRIEVAL #5 = Abuse defense---of social science, which seeks to explain human behavior, with criminal law, which seeks to judge behavior. Although many citizens advocate severe penalties as a means of reducing crime, a number of studies have shown that the juror's desire to realize that goal is often overridden by the inherent desire to understand the behavior that leads to crime. Section::::See also. BULLET::::- Battered woman syndrome BULLET::::- Causality BULLET::::- Contributory negligence BULLET::::- Determinism BULLET::::- Diminished responsibility BULLET::::- Victim playing RETRIEVAL #6 = Of counsel---year. Section::::See also. BULLET::::- Contract attorney BULLET::::- Counsel Section::::External links. BULLET::::- ABA article on term