If you have been charged with a crime, this is no time to try to defend yourself. You need the expertise of a criminal law attorney at your side.
With criminal charges pending, you'll need to move through the hiring process of a criminal defense lawyer quickly. To summarize this process, you'll:
Getting a few names of criminal defense lawyers is not difficult. Referrals from trusted sources are best. Ask your friends, family and acquaintances if they have ever hired a criminal law attorney before and whether they could recommend them to you.
If you'd rather not discuss your recent arrest, your friends came up empty or you just need another name to round out your list, you have a source of referrals right here. LawyerLocator.com offers a service that can connect you with a criminal defense attorney in your area.
Simply call us at 1-888-490-2407. After answering a few questions, we'll forward the name and contact information for at least one criminal lawyer near you. You may call the attorney directly, or the lawyer will follow up with you within two business days.
Most criminal law attorneys are willing to meet with you to discuss the charges against you and your legal options in a first meeting, called an initial consultation. Oftentimes, these meetings are free. Besides discussing your case, you can use this time to determine whether this is the lawyer you'd like to hire.
To help you focus your conversation, consider ahead of time what questions you'd like to ask the criminal lawyers you meet. Topics that will help you in your hiring decision include the lawyers' background and experience, any advice they may have for you and how much their services cost.
Write the questions down and bring them with you to the initial consultations. Also bring some extra writing material, so you can record the answers and any impressions you have.
After you have interviewed everyone on your list, it is time to select one. Remember, the criminal justice system moves quickly, and you'll want an attorney representing you as soon as possible so you can achieve the best possible outcome.
Besides the experience and skills a lawyer brings to the table, you should consider a host of attributes that are harder to measure. These include:
If you only met with one lawyer, but the attorney is everything you need, your search is over. If you're torn between two or more lawyers, call some former clients to get some first-hand feedback about what it was like working with their attorneys.
When you have narrowed your list of candidates to the one best criminal law attorney for you, you are ready to proceed with your case. Find out more about criminal law frequently asked questions.