Everyone makes mistakes – sometimes serious mistakes that can affect your future. If you find yourself facing a DUI, drug charges, theft, or burglary charges, you likely are concerned about what will happen if you are convicted. What punishment will you face? Will there be long-term consequences with a conviction? Should you hire a criminal defense attorney to help with your case?
Once police charge you with a criminal offense, you should hire an experienced criminal defense attorney. Here are four reasons that will be worth the cost:
- An experienced criminal defense attorney can explain the charges and the process you will face and what the potential consequences of a conviction may be.
- An experienced criminal defense attorney understands the legal system and can serve as your advocate, working to get your charges reduced or dismissed or negotiate a plea bargain, lessening the impact of the charges you face.
- An experienced criminal defense attorney can speed up the process, so you can move forward instead of waiting months to resolve your case.
- An experienced criminal defense attorney can prepare a defense for you if your case heads to trial.
When you research and interview criminal defense attorneys, you should evaluate the following:
- Does the attorney have experience defending clients who have faced the charges you are facing? How has the attorney resolved those cases?
- Is the attorney from the area where you are facing charges? Do they know the prosecuting attorneys and judges who may handle your case? Can your attorney use their relationships to your benefit and advantage?
- What is the attorney’s success rate? How often do their cases go to trial?
- How much will the attorney handling your case be personally involved in it? Will they hand it off to a paralegal or someone else to handle it?
- How often should you expect to hear from your attorney? How quickly will they respond to your questions?
- How much will your defense cost?
Hiring a good defense attorney who communicates with you and will handle every aspect of your case will give you peace of mind about your case. With the right attorney, you can help ensure the best outcome possible, so you can move forward and lessen any long-term consequences of a criminal conviction.