Being accused of any criminal charge sounds too dangerous. In such a situation anyone could just go numb and cannot understand what to do next. Whether a naive or a smart person is the one who got accused, nothing matters when it comes down to any criminal activity. All you seek is for expert advice and to list out things that will help the accused to get a clear picture of what happens next.
Trust acts like glue in such cases and if the lawyer is not trustworthy then you may be losing everything that is on stake for you. This implies that hiring the best criminal defense attorney is not that easy as it sounds. He will be the one who will represent you in the court, will ask questions from the other parties, and will do everything and anything to make certain you are not proven guilty.
Here is a list of questions that you either need to ask yourself or from the defense attorney before you proceed with the case:
Know The Experience:
All lawyers are not the same and every case differs from the other. Lawyers have their specialization in one field. Ensure the lawyer you are picking for yourself has the experience in your case otherwise, it will never be a win-win situation for you. Do a background check before you pick one – the experience he has, the educational knowledge, and how quick he is in understanding what needs to be done. Having knowledge about criminal cases will not do any good if he has not practiced in a courtroom.
When you pick one for yourself. Ask these question to him:
- Which law school did he attend?
- Does he have hands-on experience in criminal cases?
- Does he practice in the court where your case is?
- What is his success rate before?
- How often do his cases go for a trail?
- What law associations and councils does he belong to?
When you know what you need to ask from the lawyer you are considering to represent you, have of the battle is already won.
Know The Law Firm:
This totally depends on what kind of lawyer do you choose. A solo lawyer working at a firm will always be there for you when you will be needing him and every detail of the case will be shared with you in person directly. However, if your lawyer is from a big firm then you need to know the people working with him as we will be coordinating this case but other junior lawyers may be looking at your case closely. Therefore, before hiring a criminal defense attorney, meeting his subordinates and co-workers personally would be a great idea.
Ask For References:
Another point that you should keep in mind before finalizing a criminal defense attorney is to ask for references from your friends and family. Practice makes the man perfect and because of his practice, he is able to create a clientele that is amazing. It will be a great help if you get to know about the reviews of the lawyer from your closed ones or someone outside. This will make the entire decision-making process a bit easier for you.
Seek For An Honest Advice:
Every lawyer will agree to the fact that every case is different. To know the status of yours, ask your lawyer the chances of winning in. vague statements and promises will not do any good to you or the lawyer. Therefore, rely on facts and figures. Following are some questions that you need to ask your lawyer regarding your case:
- What points in my case works in the positive direction?
- What points in my case can work against me?
- Where can be there a turning out in my case?
This assessment will help you judge the caliber of your attorney. Do not avoid this!
Know What It Costs You to Hire That Attorney:
The bigger the name, the bigger the fee is. Remember, hiring someone who is good at handling criminal cases is great but you should know that once you win, you will have to pay him a huge amount of money as his fee. If you can afford it then it is fine – pick whoever you want to but if not, then you need lower your guards. Also, the fee differs for various lawyers. Some charge on an hourly basis and some charge a flat rate.
Read The Body Language:
Lawyers are great when it comes to putting their point on the table, however, body language never lies. Read the body of your lawyer and understand how confident he is about this case. Ensure he has done his research and tells you exactly what the truth is. If he is always bragging about himself then you need to be cautious as he might be underestimating the opponents. Therefore, look for someone who can honor his commitments.
Provide All Valid Documents:
A court case is not that easy as it looks. The lawyer himself has to dig-in and find information that can help you save your life. However, there are certain things only you can do in order to make your case stronger. The lawyer will be asking you for documents that will help you in this case. During your first meet, make certain you have all documents related to your case.
- Documents that display your charges and the appearance date in the court
- Bail documents (if you have one)
- Documents that police gave to you once your properties were searched (if any)
- Documents that can help your case or can act as solid proof (bills, tickets, photographs, emails, messages)
All in all, lawyers are not Gods. They can only fight for you and represent your case in the court but cannot give you any assurance of winning it. Yes, criminal cases are hard to fight but if you know who is the best in the crowd who can help you win then chances of winning definitely goes high.