Things to Consider Before Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney - Business and Criminal Defense

Posted by Karren Kenney | Apr 25, 2015 | 0 Comments

Criminal defense attorney

When you have been arrested and accused of committing a crime, or you are under investigation, you need to find a criminal defense attorney immediately.  With the internet at your fingertips, it is hard to determine which attorney is perfect for your situation.  Do you pick the attorney who seems to be advertising the most, or do you pick one after carefully considering what is important to you during the duration of an attorney-client relationship.  The smartest way is to pick one after a careful consideration of different factors.

Attorney's Professional Background

When you call a criminal defense lawyer to inquire about her services, you need to be aware of her experience level in handling criminal matters.  Some of this information can be obtained online.  In California, the State Bar of California has an attorney search function on their website which will allow you to view the attorney's college and law school graduation information, as well as what year they passed the California Bar Exam.  This site will also list any type of discipline that the attorney has faced during her legal career.  If you see that an attorney you're interested in has a history of being in trouble with the State Bar of California, that is a definite red flag which should cause you keep searching for the right attorney for you.

Factors that Determine the Cost

Do you want to resolve your case and just plead guilty to the best deal you can get, or do you want to fight your case and go to trial?  Your answer to that question will have a huge impact on the cost of the criminal lawyer you choose to represent you.  There are many less experienced lawyers who are good at negotiating a deal, which in turn will not cost you as much as a more experienced criminal trial attorney.  However, cheaper is not necessarily better.  The attorneys who are the least expensive usually have extremely high caseloads which impacts their accessibility and giving your case the attention it deserves.  Also, what if your case does not resolve and it has to go to trial?  Do you want the less experienced lawyer with no trial experience standing in front of a jury presenting your case?   Of course not!  When you are interviewing different lawyers, check out their website and pull up their case successes  to see the type of results they have obtained in handling criminal matters.  If that information is not on their website, you need to ask for it prior to making your decision.

Accessibility of the Attorney

Another important factor to consider in your decision to hire the right criminal defense attorney for your case is accessibility.  Ask the attorney what her accessibility to you will be if you choose to employ her services.  Some attorneys only allow their clients to call the receptionist and leave a message.  Other attorneys provide their cell phone numbers to their clients so they can be reached even if they are in court all day or doing client jail visits.  Some attorneys do not return calls after regular business hours or on weekends, while others do.  You need to determine what is important to you for accessibility and factor that into your decision.

Whatever factors are important to you in deciding which criminal defense attorney will handle your case, make sure you pick someone who genuinely cares about your situation and that you are the most comfortable with.  When your personal liberty is at stake, you want someone who is going to fight for you no matter what. Make sure you get the best orange county criminal defense attorney on your case, and contact Karren Kenney today.

For more information on criminal defense attorney representation, contact the Kenney Legal Defense Corporation for assistance. Or call (855) 505-5588 for an initial phone consultation.