Criminal proceedings
SERVICES RELATING TO WHITE COLLAR CRIMINAL MATTERS >>
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We offer advocacy services in criminal matters for both the defendant as well as the victim, i.e. the injured party. We handle various criminal cases ranging from severe violent crimes to white-collar crimes, relating to e.g. occupational health and safety or trade secrets.
Expert assistance in criminal legal proceedings
For most people, being involved in criminal proceedings is a burdensome one-off experience that impedes business operations as well as personal life, as applicable. Reaching out to an attorney, as early as possible, increases the likelihood of arriving into the best possible outcome in the given circumstances. We are aware that details matter and we leave no stone unturned for your case. Our experts have experience of criminal matters also from the perspective of working on the other side of the table, at the service of the court institution.
No one is obliged to contribute to self-incrimination. If a person is being suspected or accused of a crime, his or her rights are emphasized instead of obligations. The European Court of Human Rights has paid specific attention to the actual and effective opportunity of the suspect to be assisted by a legal advisor when being heard for the first time by the authorities in the pre-trial
investigation. The police have a duty to inform the suspects, prior to the pre-trial hearing, about the offence they are suspected of as well as of the right to be accompanied by a legal advisor in the hearing. It is highly advisable for the suspect to contact an attorney without delay after receiving an invitation to the pre-trial hearing.
The best case for the suspect is a decision by the prosecutor not to press charges against the concerned suspect. If, however, the prosecutor makes the decision to press charges and the case proceeds to the court, the war is not over despite the first battle may be lost. The application for summons identifies only the prosecutor’s view of the case but the court makes the decision whether the person is found guilty or not. Despite the prosecutor and the court are ex officio obliged to take into account factors that are beneficial for the accused, the defendant’s legal protection is best secured by using an advocate.
The victim of the crime, i.e. the injured party is also entitled to use an advocate. There is no need to cope with the proceedings alone. Resorting to an attorney can improve the victim’s position in many ways.
The victim could be entitled to a compensation for damages caused by the offence in question. Phrasing the claim for damages and defining the correct amount of compensation is not always a simple task. Similarly, with the help of an advocate it is possible to have better results when hearing the parties and witnesses. Further, the victim has, for example, a right to endorse the charges brought by the prosecutor and a certain right to present new circumstances to support the charges.
As regards the legal expenses arising from using an attorney in the criminal proceedings, we will always confirm whether the client is entitled to legal aid and explore the possibilities to cover the legal fees from a legal expenses insurance, potentially included in one’s home insurance.
