3 Tips for Finding the Right Criminal Defense Attorney for Your Case

If you have been arrested, you may need to hire a criminal defense attorney to help you. They will be able to defend you, protect your rights, and negotiate with the prosecution for you. You can get a public defender to help you, but you can also pay for your own attorney. If you are going to hire an attorney, then there are things you need to do in order to find the right one for you. 

Ask About Jargon Translation

One thing that you need to do is to find an attorney who is willing to explain all the jargon and legal terms to you in a way that ensures you understand them. You can't effectively participate in your own defense if you don't understand what the other side is saying or what all the charges are. You can be charged with different things for the exact same crime, and you might not understand the difference between all the charges. For example, you might also be charged with murder and manslaughter, which carry different connotations, different levels of proof, and different sentencing levels. Your attorney can explain the differences to you, why the prosecutor might have done that, and what you need to do about it. 

Check Word of Mouth

If you have friends or family who have also been arrested and who have hired defense attorneys, talk to them about who they hired. They can tell you what they liked about their attorney and what they disliked. Your friends or family may also be able to tell you things like how they got along with their attorney and if they felt their attorney represented them as they needed.

Make the First Appointment

A lot of attornies will offer a free or discounted first appointment. Those appointments are generally really short, just enough for you to layout your case. That first appointment can be really important because that will give you a chance to assess the attorney and see if you can work together.

If you have been arrested for a crime, then you need to talk to a criminal defense attorney. Finding the right attorney isn't always easy, but there are things that you can do that will help you find the attorney who is going to do the best they can for you and your case. To learn more, contact a criminal defense law firm near you today. 

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