In felony cases, the potential for incarceration and a felony disenfranchisement of core civil rights (to hold public office, sit on a jury, vote, and possess firearms) is in the balance. Many individuals who find themselves in this situation do not necessarily carefully pick their defense counsel. This blog covers three of several important considerations.
The first is approach. Being under criminal charge is a burden which is why there is a right to a public and speedy trial. However, with complex legal and scientific matters involved in many criminal cases, this may not be prudent; a criminal case may pend for a long time to work it up for trial. Some litigants want the matter over and some want to fight each and every aspect of the case. Do you know the approach of the counsel you will hire and if this is consistent with your view?
The second is the position of a case. If you are changing counsel or just retaining counsel and a trial date is looming in the near future, it may require a firm of a different size and resources that can have several professionals preparing for trial. Is the case in state or federal court? Has information been explored that supports the defense? No attorney is necessarily better or worse than another, but may have more ability to handle a certain type of case. Ask your questions before you retain counsel.
The third and final point is what is your objective or theme. Most criminal cases occur in a complex series of circumstances and it is key to have an attorney who has the time, interest and experience in defending the crime to understand it and how to mount a proper defense or obtain a better plea agreement.
Ultimately, selecting a criminal defense attorney should be done with care and research—your life and freedom depend on it. This blog post was written by attorneys a Dixon & Moseley, P.C. who handle criminal defense cases throughout the greater Indianapolis area and the State of Indiana. It is not intended as a solicitation for legal services or specific legal advice. It is best thought of as an advertisement.