How To Get A Criminal Lawyer
Posted on: 11 June 2019
If you are facing, or about to face criminal charges, the best thing is to consult a criminal defense lawyer. The lawyer can defend you and ensure the authorities respect your legal rights. If you have never hired a criminal lawyer before, you might be at a loss on how to get a good one. Here are a few ways of getting a good criminal defense lawyer.
Referrals from Previous Lawyers
If you have had dealings with lawyers before, then they should probably be your first port of call provided you were satisfied with their services. If the previous lawyer handles criminal cases, then you can hire them right away. If they don't handle criminal cases, they can refer you to their friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who handle criminal law.
Referrals from Friends and Family Members
If you don't know any lawyer you can call, then you can call your friends, family members, colleagues, or acquaintances and ask them for help. One of them may know a criminal lawyer or any lawyer who can help you get a criminal lawyer. One of these people may also know another way to get the right lawyer for your case.
Listings on Online Directories
If you have access to the internet, then you can look up online lawyer directories and pick one whose profile impresses you. There are several online directories that list lawyers and their detailed profiles; scrutinize the profiles to get the right lawyer. You can usually narrow down the directories by their specialties and areas of operations.
Lawyer Referral Services
Another trick is to ask for help from lawyer referral services. Referral services are a bit like directories in that they maintain a huge database of lawyers in different specialties. The main difference is that for referral services, you don't peruse the lawyers' profiles. Rather, you describe your legal problem to the referral service, and they match you with a lawyer whom they think is best for your specific case.
Courthouses
If you have time and there is a courthouse in your neighborhood, then you are likely to bump into several lawyers if you hang around the courthouse. You can even sit through a few hearings and select one. Many lawyers will be happy to give you their card for contact later on even if they are engaged at the moment you meet them.
Government
Lastly, the government can also be a source of your legal representation. You can petition the court for a free legal help from a public defender. The court will scrutinize your financial records to see if you are qualified because most states only provide public defenders for those who can't afford private lawyers.
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