Sometimes you may end up finding yourself on the wrong side of the law and when this happens you may be facing serious punishment. There are two types of cases. It can be a criminal case or a civil case. Criminal cases tend to be more serious and attract hefty penalties for instance you may end up paying a huge amount in fines or getting a long term sentencing among others. This is why you need a good lawyer to help you out in such a case especially if you are innocent.
Law is a wide profession and we have various types of lawyers. For example, we have those that deal with tenancy disagreements, estate planning lawyers among others. Criminal defense attorneys are specialists when it comes to such criminal cases. Due to the popularity of this area of practice, we have have had a lot of people practicing law. However, not all of them are solid in terms of the nature of representation they will give you in a court of law. Here we will look at some guidelines that will assist you in making the right choice of a criminal attorney.
A crucial guideline has to do with experience. With a criminal case, you do not want to take chances since you may be put away for a very long time. You thus need to choose the best of the best. Go for an individual that has represented other people in the past. Such a lawyer will be able to come up with a good defense strategy so that you are released. Further such an attorney has courtroom experience and is able to articulate his ideas well in a court of law. You thus should not go for a newbie individual since they lack such expertise.
Lawyers are guided by a code of conduct and some regulations in the legal framework. For instance, it is required that all attorneys have a practicing certificate and be registered by the regulatory board of attorneys. The criminal defense attorney you are choosing ought to have fulfilled all these requirements. This will give you the confidence that you are dealing with an expert person and are assured of quality representation. The amount of legal fees you will be charged is likewise a key aspect to think of. A good attorney will be a bit expensive. However, this is not grounds for being overcharged.
Prior to settling on a particular attorney, you need to do some price comparisons so that you get an idea of how much they charge. Some will charge per hour basis while others may decide to opt for a flat-rate amount. You also need to check whether it is possible to have a free consultation meeting with the attorney prior to hiring him. The location of the operation of the attorney is also key. The law restricts an attorney for working being the geographical lines within which he is licensed to operate. You have to check if the lawyer is allowed to practice on n your state.