The Function Of The Paralegal Or Legal Assistant In The Criminal Justice Field

The legal assistant as the name suggests is there to help the lawyer. It is vitally essential to know that the paralegal can't give legal guidance or act as a lawyer. What the p...

Paralegal or Legal Assistant is an fascinating profession in the Criminal Justice field. It is hard to envision a law office with out a paralegal. They can be described as the appropriate hand of the lawyer. In this article I examine the function of the paralegal or legal assistant in the criminal justice field.

The legal assistant as the name suggests is there to help the lawyer. It is vitally essential to know that the paralegal cannot give legal advice or act as a lawyer. What the paralegal does should be under the supervision of a lawyer. The paralegal can do the following under the watchful eye of a lawyer:

1. The paralegal can conduct client interviews. They must determine themselves as paralegals to the client before starting the interview. In this instance, the legal assistant aids the lawyer ascertain the details of a case by speaking to the client. This saves the lawyer useful time. The lawyer can use that time to perform on approaches for the case.

2. The legal assistant can find and interview witnesses. If you watched the film Erin Brockovich, you saw Julia Roberts play the role of a paralegal that locates and interviews clientele. In one of the scenes, she clearly states that she is not a lawyer. This underlines the point above that paralegals can't give legal guidance. It also underlines the point that they identify themselves as such. inside child custody ft. lauderdale

three. Legal assistants can analysis and prepare legal documents. Paralegals do obtain the coaching and expertise necessary to prepare legal documents. All the lawyer has to do is double verify the operate to make positive it meets the legal specifications that such document requires. Again, I dont have to tell what a useful timesaver this is to a lawyer.

4. The paralegal can attend court trials. In this case, they help the lawyer with the case files. This way the lawyer is not fumbling in court seeking for files or evidence. The paralegal is there to preserve him or her organized.

I can create more volume on the function of the legal assistant or paralegal in the criminal justice field, but you get the point. It is certainly an thrilling profession. Think of all the intriguing things that can be involved in a legal case. As a paralegal, you can be in the middle of it all.

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