Sometimes in life, people fall victim to circumstances that they have no control over. Part of this includes being accused of a crime they didn’t commit because the pieces of evidence gotten from a crime scene implicated them. If you or any of your loved ones are going through such, you don’t have to panic. There are several top law firms with excellent criminal defense attorneys like Summit Defense ready to help you out.
Still, you need to be careful when choosing a criminal defense attorney because making the wrong choice can put the success of your case at risk. Here are some important questions that determine if a criminal defense attorney is right for you or not:
What Is Your Qualification?
It’s never wrong to ask criminal defense attorneys for their academic qualifications. Criminal defense attorneys that have obtained academic excellence, which qualified them to work in the legal field will have no problem answering this kind of question. Only those who aren’t qualified enough will find it offensive. Once you’re able to get details about the academic achievements of a criminal defense attorney, you’ll be able to determine if they’re truly qualified to work on your case. Criminal defense attorneys are required to get a high school degree, study law in the university, attend law school, and pass the bar exam to qualify for the job.
What Type of Criminal Cases Have You Handled In The Past?
This is also a very crucial question to ask the criminal defense attorney that you want to handle your criminal case or that of your loved one. You can measure the experience of criminal defense attorneys based on how active they are. Just because a lawyer is focused on criminal defense does not mean they can handle your type of case.
They’ll still be some areas of law some are better at than the rest, based on their experience and exposure. But ideally, you should only hire a criminal defense lawyer for criminal cases. If you come in contact with attorneys who have been dealing with personal injury laws all their lives and you implore them to handle your criminal case, it may not turn out the way you want.
When Are You Going To Charge Me?
Some criminal defense attorneys are so confident in their skills that they refuse to charge their clients until their case has been settled. If you come across such an attorney, you shouldn’t hesitate to hire them. They make payments easy for their clients. They’re not just after gaining money from their clients. They’re more concerned about rendering them quality services. Services that will make a meaningful impact on their lives.
Will You Carry Out Certain Investigations On My Behalf?
Most times, evidence such as fingerprints and CCTV footage are usually needed to prove beyond reasonable doubts that an individual isn’t responsible for a crime committed. These pieces of evidence can be gotten through the investigations carried out by law enforcement agencies and sometimes through the efforts of a lawyer. If your lawyer is willing to go the extra mile for your case, there is a high probability of the case ending successfully. If not, you might have to hire the services of a private investigator or rely on the pieces of evidence given by law enforcement agents only.
How Many Years Have You Spent In The Legal Field?
If a criminal defense attorney has been able to gain experience in the legal field through years of constant practice and researches, it’s advisable to hire such a person to handle your criminal case. The reason being is that within those years, such a person would have understood the burden that comes with handling criminal cases and how to tackle them.
What Will Be My Role?
Even though the sole responsibility of all criminal defense attorneys is to try their possible best to ensure a criminal case turns out successfully, clients still need to play their role. Such includes being of their best behavior during a court hearing and doing whatever their lawyer asks of them.
Do You Have Testimonials From Past Clients That I Can Read?
Criminal defense attorneys that are very good at their job do have testimonials from past clients and do get recommended by them orally and through various online platforms. If a criminal defense attorney is unable to provide testimonials from clients and has never been recommended by any past client on social media platforms, such a person might not be good for your case.
Trusting your instincts to make the right choice of a criminal defense attorney can also work for you and recommendations from friends and family. Since they care greatly about you, they wouldn’t want to lead you astray.
