Dependent upon the type of crime committed—or for any matter in which you or a love one might be facing prosecution, determining the most reputable Civil or Criminal Defense Attorney is essential.
Here are a few tips to take into consideration upon researching and exploring your options:
- Ensure that you or the associated party(s) are aware of what the prospective legal charges are, and what type of court it is being tried under. For example, while a landlord eviction or payment based case might be tried in a civil (such as small claims) court, an offense such as a DUI charge would fall under criminal court for committing a state or federal crime against a municipality or local ordinance. For example, improper covering of a license plate. Due to this, a DUI or assault on a police officer charge would then require the representation and support of a Criminal Defense Attorney— such a case then could also however require the involvement of a specialized Civil Rights Attorney.
- Examples of cases that would be tried in Criminal Court would be ones that involve the acts of violating laws that are enforced by United States Government entities such as the State Attorneys Office, or Department of Justice. Dependent upon the nature of crime(s), and the caliber of offense(s), a more specialized lawyer may be desirable—regardless of whether a civil or criminal defense attorney is necessary.
- Conduct thorough research into a criminal defense attorney’s specialized field
- Take into account a criminal defense attorneys past record of cases, for example not only success to loss rate, but more specifically what the findings or conclusions were in each of the cases and in who’s favor—such as settlements, losses, or other publicly available information that would otherwise be considered significant in making such an analysis.
- Sit down separately with your most desirable (say top 3 to 4) civil or criminal defense attorneys. Ask them questions relevant to their position on your prospective case, how they would go about handling it, who will be handling it, and any other information regarding fees or criteria otherwise not mentioned.
- Understand who your ‘point of contact is’, and ensure you are comfortable and confident that you will be able to trust your prospective civil or criminal defense attorney.
- Make efforts to ensure the development of a stable, professional relationship with your prospective criminal defense attorney as you will be spending a significant amount of time with them one on one. Additionally, because this professional is otherwise responsible for representing you and aiding you in your objectives to minimize legal prosecution, incarceration, and costs—such as a lawsuit for example.
Like many big choices in life, make it a high priority to conduct reputable levels of research and verify the credibility of the professionals you’re not only considering to represent you, but that will dominantly influence your ability to fight your case and win.