The U.S. Bill of Rights guarantees you the right to an attorney in the event that you're accused of a crime. However, this doesn't mean that you can simply choose the first criminal attorney you come across and assume that you'll get equal treatment. Having the right attorney can affect not only the outcome of the case, but your experience during the criminal proceedings. In order to choose the best criminal lawyer, you'll need to carefully consider a few things.
Firstly you need to choose an attorney which has experience with cases which are similar to yours. If you are accused of armed robbery then you will want a different lawyer to if you were accused of battery. Some lawyers only specialize in divorce cases and these would not be able to help you with Criminal cases.
There are many lawyers who do have the educational background to handle your case type but there is a lot to say about education and real life learning experiences; education can only go so far but real life experiences gives you the knowledge for more alike situations down the road. Make sure that your criminal defense lawyer has dealt with similar cases like yours so they can use their education smarts and real life smarts in the courtroom to win your case. They'll understand how they should proceed and not proceed. They know what results you're going to want and the obstacles to avoid.
When you find an attorney who seems to have the background you're looking for, discuss with them the basics of your case. During this process, pay attention to two things. First, consider how comfortable you are with the attorney. Do they listen carefully to what you have to say, or cut you off as though they've heard it a hundred times before? Remember that part of the job of a criminal lawyer is handle your legal issues, and part of their job is to help you through the process. Choose a lawyer that you feel comfortable working with.
You also need to pay attention to the criminal defense plan. There are some lawyers out there who will take on every single case they possibly can which will mean they don't have enough time to devote to your case. Some lawyers might propose a plea bargain to reduce your plea down to a lower charge. This might be suitable in some cases however it's not suitable for every single case. Make sure that your criminal defense lawyer will actually take your case to trial if needed.
Whenever you are trying to find an attorney for your case, you need to know their success rate. While no lawyer has a perfect case record, you need to look for a positive/negative ratio. See what the attorney has learned from their previous cases and how they may use that knowledge and lessons to give you the best possible criminal defense.
The bottom line is that when it comes to hiring the best criminal lawyer, you want to choose an attorney with specific experience in the field, with whom you feel comfortable and who is willing to take your case to trial, if need be.
