Tips on Choosing a Defense Attorney

This article will discuss tips on helping you choose the right lawyer for your criminal case by considering some defense attorney characteristics.

If you are facing criminal charges it is likely that you are probably not looking for the same person who handled your will or helped to buy a house or helped your relative when he or she was involved in a car accident. The reality is you are looking for an attorney who specializes in criminal law. This article will discuss tips on helping you choose the right attorney for your criminal case by considering some defense attorney characteristics.

It must be noted that private criminal defense attorneys often practice either on their own or in small partnerships and in a specific geographical setting. On the other hand, attorneys who handle civil cases often congregate in large corporate law firms with branch offices in many cities. The main factor that differentiates civil and criminal attorneys is the nature of their work, for example:

?Big firm civil attorneys often represent companies who do business all over the country or the world, while criminal defense attorneys tend to represent individuals whose problems are usually local?Companies represented by big firms require a constant need for legal advice and representation. Conversely, individual criminal defendants often require once off or sporadic legal needs.

Another strong characteristic with most private defense attorneys is that they have several years of experience working for the government before going into private practice, either as a prosecutor or as a public defender.

It is strongly advised that a defendant try to hire an attorney with experience in the courthouse where the defendant’s case is pending. While the same laws may be in effect throughout the state, procedures vary from one court house to the next. For example, the D.A in the Syracuse criminal court may have a ‘no plea bargaining’ policy in respect of certain offenses, while the D.A in a neighboring county may have no such policy. Further, defense attorneys operating in a specific area may know which prosecutors are more likely to plead right before trial as compared to those who will negotiate in advance. Local attorneys also know the police officers and how they are likely to perform in court before juries. Therefore, defendants should prefer attorneys who have experience with local procedures and personnel.

Another important aspect a defendant should take into consideration is if the attorney has represented defendants charged with a similar offence. This is important because modern criminal law is so complex that many lawyers specialize in particular types of offenses. For example, one may specialize in drunk driving and white collar crimes, while another may solely specialize in drug offenses. It must be noted that it is perfectly appropriate for a defendant to enquire during the initial consultation about the attorney’s experience. If the attorney refuses to specify which his or her area of expertise is, the defendant should not hire such an attorney.

An important aspect when choosing an attorney is whether you are comfortable with the person. This is important because a defendant attorney speaks for the defendant. And the best attorney-client relationships are those in which the client is a full partner in the decision-making process.

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For a Syracuse defense attorney, the author recommends the DeRoberts Law Firm.

For a Syracuse defense attorney, the author recommends the DeRoberts Law Firm.