Nobody ever wants to think about the probability of having to face the judge and jury for something he may or may not have done wrong. However, if you do happen to find yourself in a bind for a criminal act you may or may not be guilty of, it is important that you get yourself prepared and you can only do that if you find yourself a qualified federal criminal defense lawyer. This task can be daunting especially since there are so many criminal defense attorneys out there. Therefore, it is vital that you are able to find one that is best suited for your needs and your financial situation at the time.
Probably one of the most important things when looking for a lawyer is trust, but that is easier said than done. How do you know you are able to trust one of the many defense attorneys that are available? The tips you will find here should be able to guide you in finding the right lawyer for what you need.
It does not matter whether your case will be a plea bargain or will be going to trial. You still need to make sure that the lawyer you choose is qualified to handle a federal case and has experience trying cases in front of juries, even if it does not go to trial. Knowing the lawyer has this experience is important to your case. An attorney who is not experienced in federal law is going to have problems. The lawyer must recognize any strengths or more importantly weaknesses in your case that could hurt or help you.
Make sure that the lawyer you pick does not practice a variety of different types of law. You definitely do not want a lawyer that one day is handling a divorce. Then on another day is taking care of a personal injury case and then comes to your criminal case hearing. This type of lawyer does not have enough specialized knowledge to take care of your particular case in a well-rounded way.
In addition, it is important to note that if you come across an attorney that makes specific promises for your case probably cannot be trusted. No one, not even an excellent lawyer can make specific promises of what will happen in any particular case. All criminal cases are unique and not even one is identical so it is impossible to make any type of promise. If an attorney makes you any kind of hard to believe promise, they should be marked off your list and you should keep looking.
Any good and competent federal criminal lawyer should be able to explain the charges against you without any problems. What the DA has to do to prove the case as well as what the evidence can do to you in a trial. The attorney should also be honest and up front with you about what the consequences will be should you happen to lose the case and be found guilty for whatever the crime might be. The lawyer should not be afraid to be boldly honest and to the point.
Even though a lawyer that is affordable is probably a big concern, it should not be your top concern over a qualified lawyer. There is a lot at stake when you are facing serious federal charges and you should be more concerned about whether or not your attorney has compassion and complete understanding of federal laws over how much they will be charging you.
It is important not to be afraid to discuss the fees. A good attorney should be able to give you the amount that it will cost at the time of your first consultation. Whether or not it will go to trial, the lawyer should be able to give you a flat quote on how much this is going to run you overall.
It is very important that you pick a legal counsel that is able to discuss your case with you in a language that you can understand. You need to have an attorney that has the ability to break everything down for you into simple terms. You should understand everything that has to do with what you are being charged with and what all of it will entail for your case. You also need to make sure that the lawyer you choose is willing to answer all of your questions, has time to return all of your phone calls and that he or she will give you updates often on how the case is going.