Once the case has proceeded to that stage, the attorney will begin to investigate the case and speak to witnesses. An investigator is going to find out what evidence there is against you and whether what the prosecutors said they had a week ago is still valid. Witnesses often change their minds, especially when it’s a boyfriend/girlfriend situation.

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Once that happens, the case is investigated, and then depending on whether it’s a felony or a misdemeanor, the next stage in the case will be to decide whether it’s going to go to a grand jury, whether we might file a motion to dismiss, based on inconsistencies.

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Also, the paperwork needs to be reviewed to determine whether there are any anomalies in the paperwork. Some of which would allow the case to be dismissed. The next stage after that is going to a hearing, and arguing the case or plea-bargaining the case to see what kind of deal can be made. I have found that the stronger the problems are with the case, the better your plea-bargaining options are.

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Sometimes, we don’t even want a plea bargain; we just want to make a motion to dismiss if we’re pretty certain that that will be granted.