Nobody particularly wants to be in a situation where they need a private defense attorney, but if you’re already in that position, you might be feeling a little (or a lot) confused about where to start. Here are four basic tips to get you thinking about what a good defense attorney should bring to the table:
1. Experience. This doesn’t just mean the number of years the lawyer has spent practicing law; it also means how much experience the lawyer has with a particular crime. You wouldn’t hire a defense lawyer who specializes in drug violations if you’re been charged with drunk driving, just like you wouldn’t hire divorce lawyer to handle foreclosure prevention on a home.
2. Trust. This isn’t something that can be measured through numbers or statistics, but it can be even more important than the lawyer’s concrete information. A client really needs to feel comfortable with the lawyer and feel a strong sense of trust.
3. Region Sometimes it is a good idea to take the area where your potential defense attorney lives and works into consideration (just to note, this doesn’t mean it’s okay to stalk them after work to see where they live). A lawyer who regularly visits certain courthouses is likely to be more familiar with unofficial protocol and be better able to predict the outcomes of cases based on past decisions made by the judge and juries.
4. Cost. Keep in mind that the best criminal defense lawyer may not be the one who charges the most — at the same time, it may not be wise to automatically choose the cheapest lawyer either. It’s a good idea to take price into consideration when choosing a good defense attorney, but not to make the decision entirely based on cost if possible.
It’s important to keep in mind that doing your own research can be helpful, but ultimately you hire a defense attorney because he or she has experience and expertise from years of schooling and practicing the law. If you get the feeling that the lawyer you’ve chosen isn’t right for you or for your case, then you shouldn’t hesitate to seek another professional to help you. Helpful sites: www.rkelawgroup.com
