Nobody in their worst dreams wants to hire a criminal defense lawyer and it is really scary. Irrespective of the fact that you are guilty of committing a crime or not, it is extremely important that you have a criminal defense lawyer on your side.
Of course it is extremely common to freak out when you are accused of a crime and after recovering the initial shock, the very first thing that you should do is to hire a skilled and experienced criminal defense lawyer and let them handle all the legal stuff. The last thing that you want after being accused of a crime is to create some blunder and give the law more reasons to take action against you.
You need to hire a skilled and an experienced lawyer. However, here are some of the things that you should know before hiring a criminal defense lawyer.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
Many times it so happens that you are charged for a crime like misdemeanors and it is often not taken seriously because maybe the crime was not that serious or you found the penalties not that threatening but trust me that can be a mistake.
It is a matter of your reputation and you need to have a good image in the society and even the slightest misdemeanors can go to your criminal record, and the attorneys will make sure that your legal rights are protected and you are not harassed by the law. The lawyer will plea a bargain and help get your record expunged if you plead guilty are convicted.
What to Look for a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
You need to have a lawyer on your side that can support you during your tough times and whom you can trust. Only if you can trust the lawyer and are comfortable with them, you will be able to open to them and tell them everything, each and every detail of your side of your story, with the fear of being judged. Also it is important to find out that if they have the experience of taking the case of the trial and of course, there is always a price you have to pay!
How Much Does a Criminal Defense Attorney Cost?
Well it depends on a lot of factors. There are different levels of crimes and for certain crimes you may have to qualify for a public defender. Apart from that, because the lawyer is free but that does not mean they are not qualified to do a great job. Apart from that, the price tag of the lawyer depends largely on their experience, the seriousness of your charges and the complexity of your case.
Criminal Defense Lawyers for Veterans
Many times military veterans face unique legal problems for which they need particular legal services. So in order to represent the case of the military veterans you need to hire specialized criminal defense lawyers.
I Got Bad Advice From a Criminal Lawyer. What Can I Do?
If you are very unlucky, you will get bad advice from the criminal defense lawyer and trust me, it is a nightmare scenario. When you are facing serious criminal charges, it is only an experienced criminal defense lawyer whom you can trust. If the attorney does not provide you with adequate representation, you may be entitled to a new trial. You cannot trust such a lawyer and thus you should hire a new attorney that can provide you with good advice and represent you in a good way in the court.
Author Bio:
Kestenbaum Law Group focuses on defending the rights of those accused of crimes in Los Angeles. Since 1979, David S. Kestenbaum has been practicing law in the state of California, earning his experience in both the prosecution of criminals and the defense of the accused.