6 Tips to Help You Find the Right Criminal Defense Attorney

Coming to a full understanding as to how important it is to have experienced legal representation when you’re facing a criminal charge is a given, but finding the right attorney for you and your case is a whole other ball game in it of itself. You have to know the importance of finding the perfect choice for you and your specific situation, and we’re here to help you with some tips in terms of finding the perfect match.

We’re very fortunate to have teamed up with Bailey Criminal Defense based out of Vista, California to help us compile this list of 6 tips that will put you in the right direction towards the most appropriate criminal defense attorney hiring.

It always pays off to take your time in doing your research when conducting these types of, and the following tips will guide you along your journey to the right attorney who could save you and your freedom!

1. Make sure your attorney is very responsive

Time is always of the essence when you’re going through serious legal issues, and you’ll want to work with an attorney who fully understands who their responsiveness plays a factor into your overall stress levels and peace of mind. When a legal team loses time, they’ll more than likely lose a case. So don’t hire someone who is hard to communicate with!

When you contact a law firm you should get a good understanding of what exactly they’ll plan to do when you go through your initial consultation. You should have a very clear understanding that if they are to be hired, they’ll begin working on your case right away.

Being quick to return a missed phone call or email is a good sign for an attorney that’s worthwhile to work with, so make sure you’re working with one of the good guys that truly cares about their clients!

2. Ensure that your attorney is a specialist within criminal law

There are plenty of law firms out there that have several departments that range across a variety of different legal fields, but you should know that you’re more than likely much better off when you work with an attorney that solely works within criminal law.

Working with a legal team that has already handled a case that’s similar to yours will always go a long way, because they’ll have their own past experiences to look back and know any potential pitfalls and setbacks that you need to avoid. There are so many issues that may arise when it comes to criminal law cases, so you should be wary of any attorneys who haven’t handled a case like yours.

Practicing law takes, well, practice. Make sure your attorney has plenty of it.

3. Make sure your attorney has experience within your local court system

A lot of people don't think about this too much, but the overall relationships and connections that a defense attorney has within a local court system will always go a very long way in terms of ensuring the overall success of each and every one of the firm’s cases.

Connections simply make the world go round, and if you can understand that your defense attorney has the right connections in your local law community it will help you have some peace of mind that they’ll know who to talk to and more importantly how to talk to them in terms of your case’s negotiations.

Sometimes many former DA’s will become defense attorneys. These are the types of defense attorneys that undoubtedly have a lot of connections on the other side of the aisle and with local law enforcement. So make sure that your attorney is someone who knows the DA office and is well liked within your local court system.

4. Ask your prospective attorneys for referrals

Just about every criminal defense attorney and firm is going to be really good at making you feel like they’re the right team for your case. This is simply a part of their job, selling themselves.

You have to see through this type of marketing strategy and ask them for past client contact information so you can be sure that you’re getting a more objective perspective in terms of what it’s like to work with them.

Online reviews are also something that you should check, but many of the testimonials that you see on a firm’s website aren’t necessarily the information that you want. Make sure that you’re talking directly to some of the past clients of the attorney you’re thinking of hiring and ask them questions about what it was like to work with them, their responsiveness, and their reputation in local courts.

5. A good attorney will know the basics of your case right off the top of their head

Every case is unique, that’s obvious, but the laws pertaining to each unique case are always going to be the same. If you’re in an initial consultation appointment with an attorney, you should focus in on their initial reactions to your specific situation. They should know a good deal about what your best legal strategies are right after listening to your story.

Of course this is different for each case, but your attorney should be a true expert. They should know the overall likelihood of success and the potential penalties you’ll be facing for your charges. They also should be more than capable to immediately ask the right questions that could help you in terms of applying certain legal nuances that could apply to your case.

You should always ensure that your attorney is very familiar with your specific case and is comfortable with their knowledge of the crimes and subsequent legal strategies at stake.

6. Understand their fee structure, and ensure that it’s clear

It’s never a good thing to be confused in any way about the payment structure between you and your defense attorney. This is something that you have to discuss during your initial consultation. The agreement between you and your attorney should be very clear, and there shouldn’t be anything left out of the conversation.

You may have to sign a contract upon hiring, and you should also make sure that you attorney is willing to thoroughly go through every single aspect of any said contract.

Understanding how you’ll pay your attorney is crucial, and although it may vary from firm to firm, you should be ultimately rest assured that your money is in good hands and that you’re not going to have any unexpected fees pop up. 

Going through these types of hiring decisions is always stressful, and if you have any further questions feel free to reach out to the experts via the link at the top of the article!