Blog

When you are charged with a crime, the very first thing you need to do is find a good criminal attorney. How do you go about choosing one? There are so many out there, and all of them seem to make the same promises. How can you be sure that you’re making the right decision?

1. Ask for a Referral

If you know anyone – such as a family member, coworker, or close friend – who has had experience with a good criminal defense attorney, ask them for their help. If you can, get a list of names and contact information for other people who have had experience with the criminal attorney. If you don’t know anyone personally who has ever used an attorney before, ask your local bar association or legal aid office for a referral.

2. Check Out Their Performance History

Once you have a list of names, start looking up their performance history. How many cases have they won and lost? What kind of sentences did the people get who were convicted – was it harsher or more lenient than what is normally handed out for that type of crime in your area? How long did it take them to achieve this result?

3. Research Their Reputation

A good criminal defense attorney’s reputation is just as important as their performance history. Find out what people are saying about them both on and off the internet. Do not rely heavily on any one review source; different people will have different views, so look for a consensus across multiple sources.

4. Meet with Them in Person

Before you hire a criminal attorney, have a face-to-face meeting. In-person meetings are critical for one reason. You need to trust the person who will fight for your freedom and well-being in court. You need to have a level of comfort with them, and just talking on the phone or via email will not provide that.

5. To a Certain Extent, Trust Your Instincts

It’s important to trust your gut when choosing a criminal defense attorney. There is no replacement for good instinct when it comes to finding the right person for you. Try to note what makes this attorney different from others in their field. Is it that they seem particularly interested in what you have to say? Do they seem to take a genuine interest in providing you with what you need and want out of the case? If so, this is someone that you should consider hiring.

According to the Department of Justice, approximately 2.5 million burglaries are committed in the United States every year. If you are charged with burglary, it is very important that you have an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side to help ensure that your case is resolved in the most favorable possible way. Call us today for more information on how we can help.