How Do I Choose The Right Criminal Lawyer For My Case?
Having the right lawyer for your case could mean the difference between the case being dropped and experiencing a life-altering sentence. The lawyer on your side will very likely determine the success of your case and your future as a whole. With so much on the line, the decision can be an incredibly stressful one, but there are guidelines you can follow to make this much easier.
Knowing the right things to look for in a criminal lawyer is half the battle, so educate yourself on the essentials and find the lawyer who’ll give you the highest chance of getting your case dropped.
Free Consultation
Some law firms offer free consultations. Free consultations are designed to give you the information you need to determine whether that firm and its lawyers are right for you. These consultations can be anything from a quick query to an in-depth discussion of your options going forward. Book a consultation before making any firm decisions.
Appropriate Experience For Your Case
Lawyers are experienced in different areas, often having specialties in certain types of cases. You shouldn’t hire someone unfamiliar with your type of situation (i.e. you wouldn’t hire an accident lawyer to defend you in a criminal charge).
Even criminal lawyers may have specialties and experience handling different type of cases; if you’re facing an assault charge, then you should hire someone with experience in negotiating assault cases rather than a lawyer who only defends DUI charges. Check out a firm’s team page and Practice Area page to find out more about the type of cases and charges a firm has experience in.
Responsiveness
A lawyer who is responsive from the get-go will likely be more useful to you, no matter what the situation is. Responsiveness is a quality you want in a lawyer, especially one who will likely determine the outcome of your future. A busier lawyer may have more experience but having less time for you and your case may mean the difference between winning and losing.
Who Is Defending You?
The character of your lawyer and public opinions of them shouldn’t matter in your case, but it likely will. It isn’t beyond the legal system for a lawyer’s character to be called into question during a court case, so having a likable and trustworthy lawyer will do you a ‘world of good’. Their charisma may also be a large factor in how the jury responds to them and by extension, you.
Consider The Fees
Different firms and individual lawyers may charge different fees, which will ultimately play a huge role in who you hire to represent you. You’ll need to weigh up whether it’s worth paying higher rates for a more experienced lawyer who may be more likely to get the case dropped as opposed to someone cheaper but with less experience.
It is also important that when hiring a criminal lawyer the expected fees for handling the file are completely transparent with you. You would not want to hire a criminal lawyer only to find out down the road after they have begun work on your file, that you can no longer afford their services.
Ideally, you would not want to change lawyers during your court process as it may set you back in the court process and lead to unnecessary adjournments as your new lawyers gets caught up and well versed in your file. The criminal justice system can already be a very lengthy process so you would not want to cause unnecessary delay on your end because of changing lawyers due to affordability. (Changing lawyers during the court process because you feel you are not getting the representation you deserve is another thing!)
Need A Criminal Lawyer? Call What The Law!
If you require a criminal lawyer who’ll defend you to the best of their ability, then What The Law might be the right firm for you. We focus solely on criminal law to ensure that we offer the best services for our clients.
Our team of experienced criminal lawyers specialize in a variety of cases ranging from assault to DUIs, to cover you no matter what your case is. We were voted Best in Business 2022 and have over 250+ five-star google reviews speaking of our amazing track record with past clients.
If you’re faced with criminal charges, contact us today to better understand your situation and get the legal advice that you deserve!