If you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense, you can benefit from speaking with a dedicated criminal defense attorney. Consulting a lawyer you will get a much better idea of the kind of charges you are facing, what defenses may be available to you, what types of plea bargains are likely, and what may happen to you if you are convicted. Your criminal defense lawyer can likely help you bring important pretrial issues to light that have bearing on your case, and may even be able to get your case dismissed entirely.