Getting Legal Advice on Allegation and Criminal Law in Singapore
Have you ever faced an accusation under criminal law in Singapore? If yes, you would be well aware of the importance of the help of an expert defence criminal lawyer. Moreover, going through the charges, proceedings and consequences creates chaos and confusion. We understand this very well and therefore try to be available for every person to ensure they get justice or fair punishment, at the most affordable cost.
Before going into the legal procedure, it would be helpful to have some basic information about types of crime, related laws and how our singapore criminal defence lawyer can help when you need.
Types of crime
Diversity in terms of culture, beliefs, background, economic status, and education often create problems. Furthermore, there are legal rights and obligations for every person. So it is quite obvious that people will try to be superior in terms of power, property, and possession. But when this can’t be achieved or hurdles come, crime takes place. However, one can’t put all crimes into one basket as they are of many types.
Personal crimes
When a person commits a crime directly on another person, it’s called a personal crime. Physical assault, battery, kidnapping and imprisoning a person, robbery, homicide, rape, sexual assault and any other physical or mental torture fall within this category of crime.
Property-related crimes
There is no physical damage to the victim in this type of crime. But it causes mental torture and stress to the victim. It includes theft or robbery, forgery, burglary, false pretences, embezzlement and many other unlawful activities. Note that robbery is also considered personal crime as it does physical or mental harm to the affected people.
Public-order crime
Crimes under this category do not cause harm to anybody but are still considered as a public-order crime. This is based on the belief system of the society on what is right and what is wrong. It includes, but not limited to, prostitution, involving creating and distributing pornography, gambling, selling and taking prohibited drugs, etc.
Though these crimes do not cause immediate damage, they bring serious negative consequences in the long term.
Organized crimes
Illegal gambling, money laundering, fraud, bribery, embezzlement, extortion, counterfeiting, and stealing private or public properties like truck and trains are considered as organized crime. It’s also called enterprise crime as it involves a group of professional people who come to gather to commit a well-planned illegal activity. Regardless of the fact that it doesn’t cause damage to a single person or a group, it is considered a crime.
Financial and non-violent crime / white collar crime
This term has always been a subject of debate but still has a general definition popular in society. According to it, when a person with a high-level position in an organization does a fraudulent act, it’s called white-collar crime.
At first, white-collar and enterprise crimes look the same, but there is a difference. Former affects the general public or those not connected with criminals, while later affects employees and stakeholders of an organization. Though it doesn’t harm its victims, it sometimes brings serious consequences like violent reaction or suicides by victims.
Arrest and court procedure
Remember that the police in Singapore can arrest you based on suspicion without a warrant. Additionally, they are allowed to keep you for up to 48 hours in detention for the initial investigation. And if they need to investigate further, they have to get permission from the COURT.
The Legal procedure happens in several stages, so you should consult your defense criminal lawyer during every stage. You can also get your criminal defense lawyer in Singapore to be present with you in the court.
How we can help
- We are proud of our expert criminal defence lawyers in Singapore who are committed to helping clients in the event of their imminent arrest or are already in the custody. They advise clients at every stage of the case and proceedings.
Our criminal defence lawyer in Singapore advise on the person’s legal rights and obligations when he/she has to undergo an arrest and hearing in the court. Further, our defence criminal lawyer also attend and fight the case throughout the procedure. In any situation, our first goal is to get our client out of the case safely. But if they are found guilty, we do everything that we can to ensure they get a fair and fairest punishment.
Contact us today to get the best legal advice regarding your case.
Court Process for Criminal Cases:
When charged with an offence, you will have the following three options to choose from:
- Seek an adjournment to get yourself a good criminal defence lawyer in Singapore or to take time to decide your following action
- Plead Guilty
- Claim a trial
It is best to have a Singapore defence lawyer as soon as you face any criminal issue so he can help you make the right decision.
What do these Options Mean?
If you do not have a defence lawyer in Singapore yet, it is best to understand what these options mean so you can make an informed decision.
1. Adjournment:
Adjournment is the best option as it will get you access to criminal defence lawyer in Singapore, and he will help you determine your next step depending upon your situation.
The next step could be pleading guilty or claiming a trial, but you should know the repercussions of each before going for them.
2. Plead Guilty:
Pleading guilty means you are admitting to the crimes you have been charged for. Before doing so, you must have a good reason along with a sound understanding of the consequences, such as the minimum and maximum sentence.
Having a Singapore criminal defence lawyer here will help you understand these factors.
3. Claiming a Trial:
Claiming a trial means you refuse to admit to the crimes you have been charged with and demand a trial.
Upon doing so, the court will fix a date for a pre-trial conference where you and the prosecution will inform the Court of the number of witnesses to be produced before the court during your trial. The judge will also hear from you and the prosecution about the documents you need to provide.
Claiming a trial means you have decided to fight a legal battle, and the process will require assistance and guidance from a defence lawyer in Singapore.
Other Reasons to Get a Criminal Defense lawyer Singapore:
If having someone who knows the system inside out and has the expertise to provide you with expert legal guidance is not a reason enough, here are some other benefits that you can get through a Singapore criminal defence lawyer:
1. Bail:
Criminal charges are severe and can result in arrests. To avoid being arrested or getting a bail-in case of an arrest, you will need a defence lawyer in Singapore. He can also help you get bail even before getting arrested if the offence is bailable.
2. Statements:
You must have heard that everything you say can and will be used against you in court. It is because a layman is not aware of the legal consequences of the words he might say, and a lawyer can help you with that.
He will help you craft your statements carefully, use and avoid certain words and frame your sentences in a way that works in your favor or at least doesn’t get used against you whilst at the same answering the charges against you.
3. Clearing Charges:
Legal matters are complicated, and a layperson cannot analyze the details of a case the way a lawyer can. You can increase the chances of proving your innocence as he will deeply analyze your case, cross-check and verify everything and fight your case in a way that you have the maximum chances of getting the decision in your favor.