Unless you are a judge, prosecutor or criminal defense attorney, you have likely not spent much time inside a courtroom. If you face criminal charges, however, the mere thought of stepping foot inside one may cause you to panic.
Every criminal defendant is different. You may be struggling with a variety of emotions. Rather than let your emotions control your decision making, work to understand how you feel. Here are three emotions you may have to address during your criminal case.
1. Anger
You may feel angry for a couple of reasons. First, you may be entirely innocent of the charges. Or, you may think the criminal justice system is not treating you fairly. Either way, making proactive decisions is hard when a person is upset. As such, you may want to work through your anger to better manage your criminal defense.
2. Fear
If prosecutors have charged you with a crime, you may have a tremendous amount of fear. After all, you may lose your job, your savings or your freedom. Many people have trouble rebuilding their life following a conviction. Nonetheless, you do not want to let fear discourage you from considering all available options.
3. Confusion
Criminal law is not exactly straightforward. In fact, you may have a difficult time understanding charging documents, court records, affidavits and other information. You may also not know how to navigate the formalities of the courtroom. Fortunately, you may work with an experienced attorney to help you better understand the process.
Facing criminal charges can consume virtually all of your emotional energy. Still, you should not allow negative emotions to interfere with your criminal defense. By understanding how you may feel when addressing a criminal charge, you may better plan for an acceptable resolution.
