Criminal Attorney Costs
Costs associated with criminal attorney fees and what to expect to pay.
One of the biggest things you may be concerned about if you have recently had a run in with the law is not how much trouble you are in or how much potential jail time you are facing. Instead,
you may be intimidated by the entire legal process and worried about how much a criminal attorney will cost. There are a number of different factors that are taken into consideration for lawyer fees and services. By scheduling a comprehensive review up front, you can ensure there are no surprise fees along the way and keep ahead of the financial needs of your case.
One of the biggest factors that determine the cost of a criminal attorney is the type of crime that has been committed. Charges that are more severe and bigger will obviously cost more to defend and may require more work in the long run. This is reflected in the lawyer's fees. Depending on the type of case, your lawyer may give you a flat fee for the entire case or may quote an hourly fee that adds up as the case carries on. Simple DUI or drunk driving charges are often straightforward and require the same amount of input from a criminal lawyer. In those cases, he or she may charge a flat fee from anywhere between $500 and $1,200.
Don't forget that in order to legally retain the services of your criminal attorney, you must pay them a retainer fee. This is an up-front fee that you pay the legal office before they even do any work for your case. This fee is usually put toward your hourly or flat fee. In the case of an hourly charge, once the retainer is gone, the lawyer will ask for more money to continue working on the case. Retainer fees can vary for minor misdemeanor charges to felony cases. They are highest in sexual assault and homicide cases, especially those requiring a lot of work or research.
Keeping all of this in mind, if you are facing criminal charges and cannot afford to hire a criminal attorney, you are still legally entitled to legal representation that is absolutely free. This is especially true if you are facing charges that could land you behind bars for more than six months. This criminal attorney appointment is up to the judge and you may be assigned a private lawyer or public defender.
