None of us want to be in such a situation, but if you are accused of a crime for any reason, the first thing to do is hire a good criminal lawyer, someone who will protect your rights and ensure that you get justice. The process of choosing a lawyer is extremely important because your life may be at stake depending on the type of crime you’re accused of, so even if you’re not in a position to find a good lawyer, your friends and family members could take the following steps on your behalf:
- Don’t choose the first lawyer in the book: In our haste to retain the services of a lawyer, most of us end up choosing the first name in the book even though we have no idea how good a lawyer the person is. In general, it’s best to go with someone you know, and if this is not a possibility, then ask friends and family members to recommend people they trust.
- Choose according to your case: Find a lawyer who is experienced in dealing with the kind of cases that deal with the crime that you are accused of. You don’t want someone who has dealt only with civil cases taking on your criminal case or vice versa. Do your research before you hire or you’re going to regret your decision at a later stage. Ask them about similar cases they’ve handled and about the outcome of these cases.
- Talk specifics before you hire: Your lawyer does have your best interests at heart, but that does not mean you should hire him/her without talking about the costs involved in handling your case. You don’t want to be hit with hidden costs that add to the financial and emotional burdens you’re already going through.
- Discuss the case: Ask questions about the case, what processes are involved, how long it’s going to take to complete, how your life is going to be affected by the case, and how much time your lawyer will be able to devote to your case. You don’t want to hire a lawyer only to never see him/her during its course. Also ensure that they themselves will be responsible for handling the case instead of deputising their subordinates to do most of the work.
- Choose someone you’re comfortable with: And finally, you must be able to trust your lawyer with the truth, so if you’re not comfortable with the first person you’ve chosen, don’t hesitate to find someone else.
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This guest post is contributed by Brooklyn White, who writes on the topic of Forensic Science Technician Schools . She can be reached at brooklyn.09white-AT-Gmail.com.
