If you need a criminal defense lawyer, don’t hire the first criminal lawyer you find. Take some time to consider some important information about each lawyer you find. While you may be panicking a little about finding someone to defend you, it’s important to hire the right lawyer for your case.
Only hire an attorney that specializes in criminal defense. There are many different branches of criminal law, but criminal defense is unique as its own branch. You don’t want to hire a traffic court lawyer who’s used to defending people with traffic tickets if you have been accused of homicide! It would never work in your favor, and any lawyer willing to take your case when they don’t practice criminal law doesn’t have your best interests at heart either.
Finding and locating a lawyer results in many review pages. Read only the legitimate client reviews that are posted to a lawyer’s website and possibly to the state bar association’s site. Then you know you are hiring a good lawyer.
Lawyers don’t come cheap. They won’t take a criminal case pro bono like they do on TV. Check the prices and fee schedule, if a lawyer posts that online. If not, call the lawyer to find out what he or she charges for a case like yours. Be prepared to pony up at least the retainer fee plus a little extra, as most of the time the retainer fee hardly covers the prep work involved in your case before it goes in front of a judge.
Don’t hire an inexperienced lawyer. An inexperienced lawyer may be less expensive, but that’s to draw in more new clients. Your case may be too complex for an inexperienced criminal attorney. Hire someone with at least a decade of criminal defense cases behind him or her.
If you are unable to pay for a lawyer and you are up against a…
If you need a criminal defense lawyer, don't hire the first criminal lawyer you find.…