Imagine being accused of a crime; most people never find themselves in this situation during their lifetime, yet, sadly, innocent people are frequently arrested. When this happens to a friend or family member, individuals may not know where to turn or how to go about selecting a criminal defense attorney to represent them. Following are some tips to help individuals in this situation.
Ask criminal attorneys what areas they focus on, for example, murder is drastically different than white-collar crime, since defendants need someone who has experience with trying cases similar to theirs.
Don’t work with an attorney who promises to get all charges dropped; the legal system is made up of human beings, nobody can predict what others will do, and what may seem like an extremely weak case to an attorney may appear to be very strong to a grand jury. Once the initial fee has been turned over, the attorney may start pointing out weaknesses in the case and change his or her opinion as to the chances of getting charges dropped or reduced. Be wary of anyone who appears to promise more than they can guarantee.
Discuss payment before proceeding. Some attorneys demand a fee up front, but others work out alternative payment plans, so be sure to obtain this information up front. In addition, people who feel they have been falsely accused of a crime maliciously may wish to speak to the attorney about legal action that may be taken to force their accuser to pay for their defense. This doesn’t happen often, yet those who are innocent of a crime might want to bring this issue up. There are people in the world who will use the legal system for their own benefit without regard to the costs for other parties.
Find out how many cases the criminal defense attorney has actually tried in court. Some cases do best with a plea bargain while others need to go before a jury, so the defendant needs to know if his or her attorney is prepared to take a case to trial. Some attorneys have limited trial experience and this needs to be taken into consideration when choosing legal counsel.
Contact Blatzlawminnesota.com if a friend or family member has been accused of a crime, because they need the best representation possible and the attorneys at this firm provide that representation. A person’s future is at stake at this time, so don’t choose lightly.
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