Ensuring you get the best legal advice these days has become a challenging and expensive process. Most of the problems we face are because we don’t know how to find the right lawyer to talk to.
You might end up spending a fortune due to the high retainer fees and unbelievable hourly rates for legal consultation. A lot of people make some common mistakes when hiring a criminal defense lawyer. You should avoid them when you are seeking criminal defense representation. They have been discussed in this article in detail.
Using a public defender
There is no doubt that public defenders are hardworking people who honor their work. On the downside, they are not paid adequately for their services yet are overworked. Public Defender Offices are legally bound to serve the underprivileged who cannot afford a private criminal defense lawyer. This means long work hours and too many cases for the public defenders.
It is not possible for them to pay a similar amount of attention to each of their cases that a private lawyer is capable of. If you have the required resources to pay a private attorney, you should go that way without thinking too much. You can seek the services of a Rochester criminal defense attorney. A criminal conviction doesn’t bode well, and a felony can scar the defendant for life. Receiving the services of a private defense lawyer will prove to be good in the long run for the person sitting in jail.
Hiring a lawyer from the Yellow Pages and not from a website
Outstanding attorneys are known for having a clean and professional website. On the other hand, yellow pages do not disclose much information about the lawyer. So, it is not advised to waste your time there. A website will let you learn a lot about the lawyer since there are several web pages describing him. You can know their experience, education and professional background, and much more.
Hiring a lawyer with no specialization in criminal defense
When you are scouring the internet for an attorney, your priority should be that of the attorney specializing in criminal defense. If the attorney has their hands in different fields like personal injury, property, bankruptcy, and criminal defense, you should stay clear of them.
Criminal cases are a serious matter, and the laws concerning them evolve every day. A specialist knows every detail about the law and is constantly updated. Since he practices it every day, he would know every bit about it and understand the nuances.
Hiring an attorney with little experience
You should hire a lawyer who has a minimum experience of ten years in criminal defense. More experience is an added benefit. If a lawyer has been practicing for at least ten years, he should have experienced many jury trials. He would also have built a cordial and professional relationship with most of the prosecutors and judges. You cannot take the risk of a newbie lawyer just because his fees are a bit less. They can take up other cases to enrich their experience.
Recruiting a former prosecutor
You should only hire a lawyer who has always worked as a criminal defense lawyer. You may come across some prosecutors who have left the District Attorney’s office to take up a defense attorney’s job. They do so mainly because of two reasons. One, they are not getting considered for promotions. Two, they are not on good terms with their boss.
It is doubtful that you can place all our trust in them to defend your case. It takes a lot of effort to switch sides and stand on the other side of the courtroom. They have to change the stance of a hardened prosecutor who wants to send people to jail and gain the convincing skills of an aggressive defense lawyer who wants the opposite. Such a transformation seems unlikely. Instead, it is better to trust a dedicated criminal defense lawyer who has spent his entire career trying to prevent people from getting convicted.
Hiring a lawyer who does not show up to trials much
Pick an attorney who attends most of the trials. Trial attorneys have garnered a lot of respect in the courthouse. They are held in high esteem due to their vast knowledge about the law and for their fearlessness. When they speak, people around them are persuaded. They can think quickly, respond to complex questions, and work very hard to defend their client. All the respect they have earned ends up in a win-win situation for them and their clients.
Not hiring a certified criminal law specialist
Only certified specialists have a lot of experience and are well-trained in their domain. Not only have they demonstrated their rich experience, but they have also passed a strict written examination to reach where they are right now.
