People charged with a criminal offense have many options to choose from when it comes to defending themselves against the charges. The first thing you should do when you are facing a criminal charge is to get a competent and experienced criminal defense attorney. When you choose a criminal defense attorney, these are the things to keep in mind:
First, you should research the attorney’s experience. When you are facing criminal charges, what you need is to get an attorney who is well versed in criminal defense and knows what he is doing. Check to see if the lawyer has won several cases similar to yours. Get one who has very specific experience in terms of handling criminal defense cases or cases related to yours.
Second, consider the education obtained by the attorney. What you need is a lawyer who has passed all the exams required to become a lawyer. He should have passed the bar exam in order to practice criminal defense law. Always check the attorney’s credentials. You can verify this with your local bar association. Ask if the attorney graduated from an accredited law school and passed the bar.
Third, looking at other people’s testimonials about the lawyer is a good way to check if he is competent or not. To do this, visit websites other than the website of the law firm you work for. Browse the web and look for reviews from former customers. Don’t be surprised when you see unfavorable reviews of a particular criminal defense attorney.
Fourth, analyze the lawyer’s flexibility. The attorney of your choice should meet your needs. We know for a fact that lawyers are busy. However, a criminal defense lawyer should be able to spend the time and work with you. What you need is an attorney who can talk or meet with you outside of normal business hours. Get one who can meet with you somewhere other than your office.
Fifth, when choosing a lawyer, look for one who has the patience to understand your fear and your problem. This is especially important for beginners. When you’ve been in trouble with the law, you may feel scared and nervous. In this regard, you need a patient lawyer who can help ease the burden of the charges you face.
Consider these things and you won’t have a hard day in court today!