A Guide To Hiring A Defense Attorney
Having experienced and reliable representation in court can be the difference between being proven innocent or spending decades in jail.
If you have been arrested, charged with a crime, or due to appear in court then you have the right to hire a criminal defense attorney or to accept a state defense representative.
Typically, the representatives provided by the state are overworked and do not have the time or resources to devote to your case, unlike a hired criminal defense attorney.
Today, we’re going to look at why you should hire a defense attorney when you should hire them, and how much this will cost you.
Do I Need To Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney Before I Get Arrested?
On TV we see a lot of police interviews being interrupted by a lawyer turning up. This usually happens before the person under investigation has been arrested.
This leaves many people wondering, do I need to hire a criminal defense attorney before I am arrested or can it wait until I have been officially charged and arrested?
The answer to this question entirely depends on how much warning you get on whether you are the subject of an investigation.
If a crime has been committed and you are worried the police think you are involved then it is well within your interest to hire an attorney before you are taken in for questioning.
However, some people are arrested with no prior warning and do not have time to hire a lawyer until after they have been charged.
Why Should I Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney?
If you do not hire an attorney one will be assigned to you by the state or you can choose to represent yourself.
Your Attorney Can Protect Your Rights During The Investigation Stage
Your attorney will be there to make sure the police are not breaking the law, breaching your rights, and that they have fair grounds to hold you. It is their job to know what the police are allowed to ask you, how long they are allowed to keep you in custody if you are not under arrest, and if you are charged they can explain to you what you are being charged with.
Your Attorney Can Help You Before, During, And After The Court Date
If you have been charged with a crime you will need to start preparing for the trial.
You can do this on your own, with a state-appointed attorney, or with an attorney you hire.
The benefit of doing this with an attorney you hire – like https://sexner.com/ – is that they will have better resources and more time for you than an overworked state attorney will.
They will be able to help you prepare for your trial, they will be able to represent you during the trial, and then if you need to appeal or need to take any more legal action after that they can also assist you with that.
One study done in courts in Florida showed that less than 5% of people who defended themselves in court won their cases. The law is complicated, and you want to have someone on your side who has spent 7 years studying the law and even longer training to become an attorney.
Their experience is invaluable.
When Should I Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney?
You should hire a defense attorney as soon as you can. Once you know you are going to be questioned by the police, you should hire a lawyer.
If you are not given any advanced warning, then you should hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as you can. If you have the funds to do so.
How Much Will It Cost Me To Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney?
The price an attorney will charge will depend on a few different factors:
- The city the firm is located in (i.e. a lawyer in New York City is going to be more expensive than one in Minneapolis).
- The experience of the individual attorney that is working on your case
- How long your case will take
- The type of case you are involved in
Typically, criminal defense attorneys charge by the hour and this can cost anywhere upwards of $150+.
You need to remember that you are not just paying the attorney for the time they spend in court but also the time that they spend preparing for the trial. This preparation time is a good investment for you – as the better prepared they are, the more likely they will be to win your case.
