Lawyers are divided into civil and criminal categories. Civil lawyers handle cases such as wills, tax law, and personal injury. Criminal lawyers handle crimes, and prosecutors work for the government to argue against the accused. Defense attorneys represent the defendant and can negotiate plea deals. Civil lawyers assist in real estate, divorce, and adoption. General practitioner attorneys handle all aspects of the law in smaller communities. All law students receive training in both criminal and civil law. Patent attorneys require a specialized license.
There are two main divisions of lawyers, civil and criminal. Civil lawyers handle cases involving internal matters, such as wills and probate, divorce and adoption. Civil lawyers also handle tax law, corporate law, and personal injury cases. They also deal with constitutional law.
Criminal lawyers handle cases involving crimes. These include cases involving serious crimes, such as homicide, as well as traffic violations and cases involving minors. Within the criminal lawyers area of specialty, the attorney will prosecute the case or defend the case.
Prosecutors are one of several types of attorneys who work for the state or federal government. They research criminal cases and argue against the accused in court. They may also offer plea deals for the defendant. A plea deal means that the defendant admits to a lesser offense in exchange for a reduced sentence.
The defendant is represented by a defense attorney. A defense attorney is a type of attorney who works either for themselves or as part of a larger law firm. They are not state or federal government employees. They defend their client in court and can negotiate a plea deal with the prosecutor.
If the defendant cannot afford to pay for a defense attorney, the government will provide one. Sometimes the attorneys designated for low-income defendants work for specific legal aid organizations. Other times the defendant will be an attorney with his own practice or who works for a practice that donates a specific number of hours each month or year to pro bono, or unpaid work.
Civil lawyers are attorneys who assist in real estate transactions, divorce settlements, and child adoptions. While many of us may go the rest of our lives without needing a criminal lawyer, most of us will, sooner or later, use a civil lawyer.
Often, in smaller communities, there are general practitioner attorneys. These attorneys do not work for a state or federal government as a prosecutor, but handle all other aspects of the law. They prepare divorce papers, represent clients before the Revenue Agency and defend clients in criminal proceedings.
In a small community there may not be enough of one type of claim to specialize in, and by offering a wide range of services, the attorney can meet your financial needs and those of the community.
Lawyers do not specialize in their field in law school. All law students receive extensive training in both criminal and civil law, and the bar exam they must pass requires knowledge of both. The only specialized license required is for patent attorneys, who must pass a patent attorney exam and the standard bar exam for their state.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
