When you find yourself in trouble with the law, your first thought is likely to come up with a defense to protect yourself in court. While the type of defenses available to you depend on the crime, you will likely need a good criminal defense attorney to help protect your rights. These are the most common defenses used in court, and you may find it helpful to understand them. If any of these examples relate to your case, ensure that you relate them to your lawyer ahead of time.

"It was an accident."

Your best bet in an accident scenario is to create reasonable doubt about your intentions at the time of the incident. For instance, you would need to prove that you accidentally bumped into somebody rather than punched them.

"It wasn't me."

Perhaps you were with somebody else who committed an infraction, and you have been pegged as the person who did it. Evidence that you were present at the scene but did not commit a crime can be incredibly helpful. You may also make a case that you have an alibi, somebody is falsely accusing you, or there is a case of mistaken identity. Mistaken identity arrests happen nearly every day.

"I confessed, but I was coerced."

Perhaps you confessed to a crime, but you only did so because an officer made false promises. Police misconduct commonly leads to false confessions. One study showed that about 23% of the sample size's confessions were based on false information.

"I did it under duress."

You may find yourself facing charges for an action you committed when your life was in danger or you felt threatened. Had you not been in this situation, you would not have done it. Some would call this self-defense, during which you may be legally allowed to use the same type of force to protect yourself that is being used against you.

"It was entrapment."

Several methods that have been used by police officers in the past have not been constitutional, according to the law. For instance, an officer is not allowed to persuade you to commit a crime, like purchasing illegal substances, and then charge you with it. Laws and guidelines surrounding what constitutes entrapment may vary from state to state.

"I was wrongfully arrested."

Perhaps the officer who arrested you did not have probable cause to do so, or maybe they used excessive force in the process. Regardless, your rights may have been violated. For instance, a police officer may have come into your home against your will, without a search warrant, to look for evidence that led to your arrest. Perhaps you were pulled out of your car and brutally attacked without provocation by a police officer.

No matter your intended defense in the courtroom, your best bet is to hire a defense attorney who can represent your interests in court. Without a lawyer, your defense may suffer. When you explain your case to your defense attorney, ensure that you relay the entire story so that they can establish a solid defense based on evidence.

Contact a group like Medeiros & Associates for more help.