Facing criminal charges is one of the most stressful experiences that anyone can go through. If this happens to you, your best move is to hire trusted criminal lawyers who will help you avoid jail time or at least reduce the sentence that you’ll have to face. Find the ideal criminal defence attorney to hire by asking these questions:
Who will be handling my case?
Many defendants have consulted with big-name lawyers who promise to win their case—only to find out later on that they’ve been shafted to an associate. Avoid this scenario by confirming that the lawyer you’re speaking with will be the lawyer who’ll represent you in court. If they’re not, find out which attorney will be your main point of contact throughout the entire legal process. Take note of their qualifications and experience; if you’re being asked to pay top dollar for a seasoned lawyer, make sure that this will be the person working on your case.
How long have you been a criminal lawyer?
All lawyers undergo rigorous training and gain plenty of experience before they can practise law, which means that even newly graduated lawyers have the skills to properly handle your case. However, for your peace of mind, consider hiring a highly experienced criminal lawyer. Seasoned attorneys have a competitive edge since they know what methods to use to secure the ideal outcome for their clients.
What’s your speciality?
Criminal law is an umbrella term that covers traffic violations, drug possession, indecent assault, cyber crime, and more. So, when hiring a criminal defence attorney, check that they specialise in the specific field you need assistance with.
Have you handled similar cases?
Find a criminal lawyer who has worked on numerous cases that are similar to yours and make sure they have a high success rate. This way, you’ll be hiring someone who can have the charges against you dismissed or at least reduce the sentence you’ll face.
What’s your pricing structure?
It’s never a good idea to choose a lawyer based on their rates alone. However, you do need to ask about their pricing structure so you can prepare your finances and ensure you can fund your case until the end. Find out if your lawyer charges a fixed rate or an hourly fee, and ask about other costs that will raise your total legal expenses.
What’s your preferred mode of communication?
Does your lawyer communicate through calls or over emails and text messages? Can you contact them directly or will you have to schedule an appointment first and/or go through their secretary? Ideally, you should have a direct line of communication with your attorney so you can reach them ASAP if you get questioned by police or if you’d like to follow up on your case.
What can I expect moving forward?
Good lawyers can explain each step of the criminal justice process and help you understand what to expect in every phase. They should also take time to discuss their plan of action and tell you what approach they’ll use to attain the ideal outcome. Having a lawyer that keeps you informed and updated is greatly helpful since it will at least ease your worries and help you mentally prepare for what’s to come.
Hiring the right attorney is key to properly defending yourself against criminal charges. Let the questions above help you find the best possible criminal defence lawyer to hire!
