Criminal defense attorneys are the people who can help you prove your innocence in the court of law and those who stand between you and a possible jail time. There are thousands of legal representatives in every country, but not all of them are going to be the right for your specific case. Making the right decision when it comes to hiring the right professional is a must if you want to preset your case in the best way possible, and if you want to prove your innocence. In this article, we are going to help you learn how you can determine if the legal advisor you are talking to is the one that you should hire. Continue reading if you want to learn which are some of the most important questions you should ask before hiring a criminal defense lawyer.
1. How many similar cases have they had?
One of the most important things that you want to know before hiring a representative is how many similar cases they’ve had. You want to collaborate with someone who knows how things would go, what to expect, and what are the things that could be a setback. You should look for a professional who has had similar cases, and who knows how to handle even the most demanding matters.
2. What do they specialize in?
This is something that you need to be aware of, because not every legal representative has experience in criminal defense. As you already know, practicing law is a broad term, and you need to collaborate with a person who will be able to help you with your exact case. While you are on this topic, you should ask them how many years of experience they have, and how long have they been practicing this type of law.
3. When are you going to meet for consults?
Another thing that you should pay attention to is how open your potential representative is for communication. Some people will be there for you only during their working hours, while others will be okay with sharing their personal number with you. You cannot expect someone to be available all the time for all of your needs, but you should collaborate with a person who will be there when you need them the most. Look for the best of both worlds, and a representative who will not ditch you only because it’s after 5 PM.
4. How many of their cases have they won?
Statistics are important, and you want to have as much data as possible when it comes to hiring a criminal defense attorney. You should know that there is no legal advisor who has a lot of experience and who has won all of their cases. On the same note, you don’t want to collaborate with someone who is more likely to lose.
According to Aswani Datt, when looking for the best defense representative for you, you should look for someone with experience, knowledge, a good score, and a person who will help you understand your rights and walk you through the process.
5. What do they think the outcome would be?
This is a pretty difficult question, and more often than not, they will not be able to give you an exact answer. Nevertheless, this does not mean that you should avoid this question. Note that you should not go for a person who will tell you that they are definitely going to win because no one can be sure about that. Look for a professional that will explain the positive and negative things, the biggest setbacks, and what they expect to happen depending on everything else.
6. Who is the person that you are going to collaborate with?
When you collaborate with a firm, you may not have your initial meeting with the same person who is going to represent you. More often than not, your case will be given to the person who has time to lead it, or the person who has the most experience with similar situations. Ask to have a meeting with your potential representative so you don’t end up working with a complete stranger.
7. What is the strategy?
You should be fully aware of everything that is going on around your case, you should be aware of your role during the whole process, and you should know what the steps forward are. When meeting with a potential advisor, you should ask them what the strategy would be, how would they present your case, and what are the things that you should do or avoid during the process. The right representative for you will tell you at least the outline of their plan, and how would they start and proceed in order to prove your innocence.
8. Are you required to pay for the first consultation?
More often than not the first consultation is going to be free. During this time you can ask them all of these questions, and you can give them details about your case. Note that the legal representative has the right to decline your proposal to hire them, and when you have your initial meeting, you can see if you are a good fit. Ask if the first meeting is free of charge when you call to set a consultation.
9. How much would they charge you?
You should always ask this question because not everyone is going to fit your budget. When it comes to criminal defense, it is always better to put some money on the side and to try and afford the best possible representative. However, if you don’t talk about this before you hire them, you may not be able to pay the bills, and you can get yourself in even bigger trouble. Ask them about payment methods, when you are required to release funds, and what would happen if they lose your case.
These are some of the things that you should talk about with a potential legal advisor. Note that you should not restrain yourself from asking anything you want, because, at the end of the day, you are talking about your future. The right person for you will have the patience with you, they will walk you through the whole process, and they will be there for you every step of the way. Don’t hire someone you don’t feel comfortable with, and remember that there are always other choices.
