|
| |
The defendant should always have an experienced attorney at
his side when he or she is faced with serious criminal charges. The person who
is implicated with serious criminal charges and has the possibility of going to
prison should hire a skilled attorney to defend his case. It would be impossible
for the accused going through the emotional trauma to wade through the legal
issues. The defendant should hire a criminal defense attorney who is capable of
dealing with all the aspects of his case.
When choosing an attorney, keep these things in mind:
 |
The defendant should ensure that his prospective criminal defense attorney
is trustworthy and would act in a confidential manner.
|
|
|
The attorney should be local. Local knowledge is more important than
people realize. Every county operates slightly differently.
There is something to be said for having a lawyer who is a familiar face
to the Judges, Assistant State Attorneys, and other Court Officers.
 |
A local attorney, for example, will know the likely attitude of the
Judge and the Assistant State Attorney about your particular type of
case. |
|
|
A local attorney will have built a reputation for credibility with
Judges and Assistant State Attorneys such that pre-trial negotiations
may be smoother and more quickly productive.
|
|
|
A local attorney's familiarity with the Judges may enable them to make
arguments in keeping with the Judge's attitudes and enable him to
avoid making certain arguments to certain judges. |
|
|
|
No lawyer, no matter how good, is in a position to promise a particular
result in a criminal case. Lawyers can only promise to do their
best. They can believe in the quality of a case and believe they
will probably be able to get a particular result. But, a competent
lawyer will never guarantee a particular result because the bottom
line result is ultimately in the hands of other people -- the judge, the
prosecutor or a jury. |
|
|
If a lawyer makes bold claims about dismissals, getting people out of
jail, or anything else in an initial consultation, simply request that if
you retain them, they provide whatever they're claiming in writing and
that their fee agreement reflect that if they do not achieve the claimed
result, you will get all your money back. |
|
|
The defendant usually gets his reference from his family members and
friends. The directories providing the ratings for the competencies of
criminal attorneys could also act as a reference. The
references could also be provided by the Public defender’s office. |
|
