Florida residents facing criminal charges should not take them lightly. If convicted, the trajectory of the individual’s life can change. It can affect their educational and employment prospects, child custody awards and personal life. One way to get ahead of the criminal charges is by presenting an aggressive criminal defense and leaving little room for surprises in the courtroom is one way to achieve that.
Discovery
One way courts ensure there are little surprises in the court room is by ensuring both parties disclose all relevant facts to one another. This is done through the discovery process and can be either written, documented or through depositions.
Written discovery
Parties can ask one another their claims and their version of the events that took place. Questions can be either broad or specific, and can be a general form or specific ones depending on the case.
Documented discovery
Parties have a right to see documents that are pertaining to their case. Computer files can also be accessed during many cases.
Depositions
A deposition is a sworn statement, whereby the person making the statement is locked into their testimony and give each party an idea of what the other is going to say at trial. The person making the testimony answers questions from an attorney and this process can range from a few hours to a few weeks.
Discovery is a way for the accused to understand the case being presented against them and develop strategies for defending oneself. It can also be a way to determine the weight of one’s own case. The benefits of discovery and other criminal defense strategies can be discussed with an experienced attorney.