Nothing is as valuable in a criminal hearing as a well-studied excellent lawyer. While standing between a harsh sentence and proving your innocence, a criminal lawyer is called upon to argue on your behalf and ensure you’re represented in the right light.
There are many, many different categories of criminal lawyers. You want someone who specializes in criminal cases such as yours. A good criminal lawyer has taken the time to develop their craft and become subject matter experts on them. If they’ve won cases like yours in the past or if they’re advertising themselves specifically to people in your position, you know you’re in good hands.
Let’s learn how to find a good criminal lawyer.
Where to start
Although it can seem like scattershot searching, searching online for criminal lawyer websites is a start. Look for professionally-done sites and not names that strictly reside on social media or classified ads. The negative about using a search engine is you don’t always have the best lawyer at the top of the list. Sometimes, you do. Sometimes, you don’t. It can take further digging to really find out if they’re the right attorney for you.
Where the Internet can be your best friend in finding a good criminal lawyer is in the reviews. These are written by real people. Look at social media, lawyer review websites, and Google Maps. If there’s a lot of low ratings around a name, you know to avoid them. If the opposite is true, you know they may be a name to connect with. A lack of online reviews may signify a lack of experience and should be judged accordingly.
Good lawyer criteria
When you reach out to contact an attorney, are they returning your calls promptly? Are they answering your questions? Do they seem like they have the time for your case? Attorneys can become bogged down with work, like the rest of us. You want a criminal defense attorney who has the time to get to know your case and fight for you like their reputation depends on it. Responsiveness early on in communications will say a lot about how you will be treated.
Consider lawyer experience
Experience counts for a lot. With experience generally comes good acumen and case-building chops. If a criminal lawyer can present their accomplishments, client reviews, and important cases they’ve worked on in the past similar to yours, chances are they’re experienced enough to support you in a criminal proceeding.
Alternatively, if a lawyer’s trying to hide their inexperience, that can be a bad sign. Honesty is everything. It’s better for an attorney to be honest about their inexperience than to attempt to hide it. This way, you always know who you’re dealing with.
Use word-of-mouth
Word-of-mouth advertising is the most valuable way on how to find a good criminal defense attorney. Ask friends who either are lawyers themselves or who have used lawyers. They may be able to refer you to someone knowledgeable and with the skills to fight on your behalf.
No promises
A good criminal lawyer isn’t going to be making promises. If they’re offering you guarantees about bail, winning the case, or sentencing, they might not be the right attorney for you. Why we say this is because the law has grown to become somewhat unpredictable.
An attorney shouldn’t be making commitments they can’t keep. What you want in a lawyer is someone who’s honest and realistic with you, providing you what they expect based off the facts.
Asking questions
If a lawyer is asking you questions, it means they’re engaged. A criminal defense attorney wants to know more. They want the full story. In order to build your case successfully, they will be deliberate and purposeful in asking a lot of questions.
As long as they’re doing that, you know they’re interested in you, what you have to say, and in doing right by you. As long as you’re answering honestly and thoroughly, you can trust your attorney to do their best work.
Be open to advice
If you’re not ready to listen and are offended by something your attorney has given you as guidance, you may not be ready for their help. An attorney is there to win. To do that, they can guide you and the case as best as they can. You are not obliged to take their advice but if you aren’t interested in their help, you’ve hired them for nothing. A good criminal defense attorney isn’t afraid to offer their guidance and recommendations.
Don’t chase the money
‘Expensive’ doesn’t equate to ‘good criminal defense attorney’. High fees don’t indicate a successful defense. While some lawyers are absolutely worth their above-average fees, some of the most successful attorneys are those that aren’t charging the highest fees possible.
