When suspected of criminal activity by law enforcement it is important to remain silent and request to speak with a criminal defense attorney. It is also important to use skepticism when evaluating the validity of legal advice coming from non-lawyers published on the internet or social media. Unreliable legal advice from non-lawyers can have a negative impact on a defendant’s case from both a procedural and substantive standpoint. A consultation with criminal defense attorney Travis Newton can provide answers that lead to informed decisions on how to proceed.  
 
A criminal defense attorney can file legal motions that compel state prosecutors to disclose all discoverable evidence to the defense including search warrants, forensic lab reports, video recordings, chemical test results, witness statements, and all other items of material and exculpatory evidence. Prosecutors are also required to disclose evidence favorable to the defense including information that could potentially impeach the testimony of unfavorable witnesses. 
 
The discovery process allows criminal defense attorneys to investigate and analyze evidence in preparation for a potential jury trial and for pre-trial meetings with prosecutors. A pre-trial conference between a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney can result in a plea bargain offer for the defendant. The prosecution is not required to extend a plea bargain offer to the accused but defendants are presumed innocent and have a right to a trial before a jury. If a plea bargain offer is extended, the defendant (with advice from counsel) will choose between accepting the prosecutor’s plea bargain offer or exercising the constitutional right to a jury trial.