It can be stressful both emotionally and financially if the police charge you with a grave criminal offense. Even though you may be waiting for the judgment, the accusation itself is often enough to destroy your life and that of your family. Because of this, you must seek out an experienced and competent criminal defense lawyer like Attorney Charles Kania who can represent your best interests. However, it can often prove very difficult to choose the best lawyer for your specific needs.
You can’t hire just any lawyer to deal with your criminal case. You need to consider many things before hiring a criminal lawyer, such as their location. A lawyer from your area can help you more than a non-native lawyer since they will be aware of the local laws. For example, hiring a Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer would make sense if you are facing criminal charges in Las Vegas. Here are some more things to consider when hiring a lawyer.
Some useful tips:
Specialization
Many large law firms have a battery of lawyers specializing in different aspects and thus can handle your requirement regardless of the kind of criminal charges slapped on you. However, it is invariably better to sign up a lawyer who specializes in the specific area of law you are concerned with. For example, if you are charged with a drug offense, you will be better off with a lawyer with many years of experience handling such cases. Specialist lawyers have the advantage of being more updated with current trends, news, techniques, etc. on the law relating to their domain that they can use to represent you the best.
Reputation
The lawyer you engage must have a sterling reputation for being competent, resourceful, and ethical. They must invariably have strong research skills, communication skills, analytical skills, negotiating skills, courtroom demeanor, integrity, confidence, and an extensive network with the legal fraternity and the police. You must also find out their extent of compassion. Word-of-mouth recommendations are the best for identifying criminal defense lawyers because if you hire a lawyer who has performed well for someone you know and trust, you can depend on him to fight for you to the maximum possible. Checking up online as well as consulting the state bar associations can help you identify a lawyer you can depend on.
Trial Experience
Out-of-court settlements of criminal charges are relatively rare, which is why you must be ready to appear for a trial. If you hope to be successful, you will need a criminal lawyer with extensive trial experience. Your proper selection can mean the difference between your acquittal and a long period in jail. The trial lawyer should be experienced in judging the strength of the case made out by the prosecution, decide about the possibility of a plea bargain, and how to defend you vigorously. They usually specialize in developing a sound defense strategy to get you the best results by leveraging their relationships with court officials.
Conclusion
There is no point in hiring a criminal lawyer with an awesome reputation if you cannot access him when you want. If they are always too busy or make you jump through hoops for an appointment, you may be better off with some other lawyer who is more approachable and accessible. You should engage a lawyer you feel comfortable with to discuss your private affairs, says Lawyer Monthly.
Also, you must make sure that your lawyer has the time and willingness to give you a patient hearing regarding the facts of the case and start working on preparing a viable defense right away.
You may be interested in: How much does it cost to hire a criminal defense lawyer?