Finding the right criminal lawyer won’t be hard. Although there are many attorneys out there, there are many things that’ll help you filter them. Read ahead.
Story Stages
Response Time
You need to work with a lawyer that would start working on your case immediately. The more well-known he is, the more likely that he would be juggling 1000s of other clients. He probably won’t be able to give you the attention you need.
Do your research to see what others have said. You would be able to find an attorney that doesn’t have too many cases and works with clients one on one. Unfortunately, some larger names may only communicate with you through their assistant.
When you contact him, you would know if he would be responsive or not by how soon he would schedule an appointment with you.
Get a Referral
Ask your loved ones if they know a lawyer that you could hire. No one would refer someone if they’re not good. If they refer an attorney to you, they’ve probably worked with him first-hand. You’d have expert insight on how the experience would be.
Fees Structure
You should find out the cost to hire a criminal lawyer in your area. As criminal charges are very serious, the legal fees you might be charged could be a lot. As you can imagine, the more experienced lawyers would charge the highest rates. Don’t skimp if you’re being charged with something like drunk driving. An excellent DUI lawyer could help you get the offense off your record.
Some lawyers make you pay only if they’ve won the case. Also, make sure that there are no hidden fees. You could be hit with a huge bill otherwise. Working with a lawyer that someone you know has experience with would be a good idea, as they would be able to inform you if there’d be any hidden fees or not.
Can he Practice?
Although you may have found an experienced lawyer, you may not be able to work with him. He may not be able to practice in your province or state – he doesn’t have the necessary qualifications.
The attorney you’re interested in may also have been disbarred. He won’t be able to represent you anywhere you may be.
Expertise
Criminal law is a broad field. You want to work with someone that is an expert in the type of problem you’re facing. Not only should they be an expert, but they should be very experienced too. A criminal lawyer that has handled 300 sexual assault cases would be better than one that has only handled 50 of them.
The more popular names tend to have the most experience. After all, they wouldn’t have gotten so popular if they’re not great at what they do. Another thing to consider is the types of cases they have fought. If your case is a federal case, then you will need a Federal criminal defense attorney, as they will have the skills and expertise to take on a case of this magnitude.
There’s a lot of things to keep in mind when looking for someone to help you handle a criminal case. Probably the most important would be to work with someone that would give you the attention you need. They should also be an expert in the specific charge you’re facing.
Thanks for the tip about how referrals can be a good way to find the right criminal attorney. I’d like to look for one soon because my father has been accused of assault by one of his associates recently. I don’t know what exactly happened between them but I think he deserves to be able to explain himself and defend his character properly.