If you have been accused of committing a crime, whether it’s a theft or DUI, your top priority is to hire an expert criminal defense lawyer. Moreover, these professionals play a vital role in gathering evidence, questioning witnesses and defending their clients charged with criminal offenses. Besides, not having an experienced and skilled lawyer on your side can cost you more than just money. However, choosing the right criminal defense lawyer in Grand Forks can be a daunting task, considering the fact that you have to take into account a number of factors before making the final decision.
Add to that, there are a plethora of criminal defense attorneys flooding the market today, which makes it harder to select the best one for you. Besides, depending on the severity of your crime, you could end up paying a fortune or may have to spend time in prison, if you don’t hire a reliable criminal lawyer in Grand Forks, ND. You want to hire a professional who you can trust to represent and support you throughout the proceedings for getting the best outcomes. Read on to find out five questions to ask before hiring a criminal defense lawyer.
1. How long have you been handling criminal defense cases?
While there’s nothing wrong with hiring a brand-new lawyer, it is always best to hire a criminal defense lawyer who has genuine experience. Besides, there is no substitute for a lawyer who has litigated in the courthouse that you are going to, knows what to expect from prosecutors and understands how to best present your side of the story to a jury of your peers.
2. What do you charge?
One of the major factors that you need to take into account when choosing a criminal defense lawyer is the price they are charging for rendering their services. Furthermore, although local market conditions, namely supply, demand and the nature of compensation can determine what lawyers charge, there can be variation in their fees based on some other factors such as lawyer’s reputation, experience among others.
3. Can you provide me with references?
When it comes to choosing a criminal defense lawyer, make sure you ask for references. Furthermore, make sure you get at least two references from the criminal defense lawyer and then go the extra step to verify them.
4. What areas of criminal law are you most experienced with?
Without a doubt, a crucial factor that you need to take into consideration when choosing a criminal defense lawyer is making sure you ask them what areas of criminal law they are most experienced with. Do not assume that every criminal defense lawyer handles every type of criminal case. Furthermore, certain lawyers specialize in violent crimes, others deal solely with drug-related crimes and some handle only theft-related offenses. Furthermore, make sure that the crime you are charged with matches up with the area of practice that your potential lawyer has the most experience with.
5. Will other lawyers be working on this case?
Many large firms have many lawyers, paralegals as well as support staff working for them. Just because a particular criminal defense lawyer conducted your initial consultation, doesn’t mean they will be the one working your case. Furthermore, make it clear which lawyer will be working on your case as well as which paralegals and associates will be helping with the workload.
While these were some of the questions you should ask before hiring a criminal defense lawyer in Grand Forks, there are many others, such as reputation, trust among many others.
We wrote an entire article on How to Find a Good Criminal Lawyer?. Check it out!