Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at
2:52 pm
Benard Worseley asked: Being charged with a crime can be a devastating experience especially when you know you’re innocent. There is always the possibility that you will be jailed for a crime you didn’t commit. No one wants to undergo the pain, anguish, and sense of betrayal that being charged with a crime can bring. And no matter how much you protest, you have no choice but stand trial. You need to defend yourself properly with a criminal defence lawyer.
In almost all cases, the fate of an accused is in the hands of the criminal defence lawyer. The attorney stand as his defender and he is the only wall between the accused and prison. Because of this, it is critical to get an experienced attorney. Criminal defence is a very specialized area in the law. If you fail to get a good attorney, then you are basically opening yourself to baseless accusation.
To help you avoid this fate, we have come up with a list of tips that will help you get a good criminal defence lawyer:
Analyze the biographical information of the lawyer and the law firm – this task is more difficult than it seems because a lot of important cases are kept private by attorneys. Looking at their
buy medications website, their previous cases, and their clients will give you an idea whether they have expertise in the area though. It is also crucial to determine if the lawyer belongs to a reputable association related to criminal defence. Use the Internet – search engines can yield surprising and very informative results. Try to look for FAQs, articles, and other pieces of information about the lawyer. If someone had a negative experience with the firm, it is also possible that they might have written about it on the internet. Ask your Contacts for Information – if you know someone who went through what you’re going through right now, try to ask for his recommendation. He may know a good criminal defence lawyer who can assist you. Ask for their opinion as well; they might have heard about your lawyer before. Consider Your Special Needs – for example, if you’re a native Spanish speaker, it might be a good idea to seek a Spanish-speaking lawyer as well. That way, you can communicate easily and accurately. Look at Newspaper Archives – look through newspapers or online archives for any publicity about the criminal defence lawyer. It may uncover positive or negative publicity about them in the past. Contact the State Bar Association –determine if the lawyer is in good standing with the state bar. If not, know the reasons behind it. It is highly recommended for you to seek another lawyer if the one you’re interested in is already debarred.
Remember, one of the most important qualifications of a good criminal defence lawyer is their genuine concern for you. If you feel that you’re being disrespected, it might be a good idea to look elsewhere. However, don’t eliminate a lawyer simply because he is too busy. In many cases, in-demand criminal defence lawyer cannot meet you on short notice but this does not mean that the he will not handle your case properly.
