How to Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you've ever been accused of a crime then you know that you need to hire someone and hire them quickly in order to avoid unnecessary jail time or delays in your case. You need to find someone that you can both afford and trust to take on your case without any hassles. How do you go about finding a criminal defense lawyer to handle you case? It's a process that needs to be done with great detail but quickly. This guide will help you know what to ask and what to look for to find your perfect attorney.
One of the first things you need to do is get a short list together of the criminal defense lawyers in your area. This will help to narrow your field of inquiry down to a manageable level. By checking out who is in your area and who specializes in your specific alleged crime can help to reduce the headache in trying to find an attorney. Look for those who will offer you a free consultation so you can get their opinion on the case before you hire one of them. Once you have a short list together call and make appointments to speak with one.

When you are calling to make an appointment to speak with a criminal defense lawyer you can take a moment to give basic information about you case and find out if this is something that they can handle. If it's out of the attoerney's area of expertise don't make the appointment, instead thank them for their time, and hang up. You don't need to waste your time or theirs if they can't assist you in your case. You also need to get the basic information from them such as their case load and retainer fees.

When you go in for your initial consultation take as much information as you can to give the criminal defense lawyer an idea of what your case is going to be like. Try to be able to answer all the questions about what happened and give your side of the story. If you know of any evidence that the prosecution has against you let him know about that too. After he reviews you case and talks to you he can give you an idea of what he can do for you in order to get you the best representation possible.

Hiring a criminal defense lawyer takes time. You need to have a list of questions for him prepared before you ever go in for a consultation. Some of it you can do over the phone and don't have to actually go into the office until you hire one. Remember to ask about retainer fees, hourly fees, and how they bill before you hire an attorney. This will give you an idea of whether or not you can afford to hire that specific attorney to represent you.