Even if you're hoping not to go to trial, once you've been charged with a criminal offense, hire a criminal lawyer with jury trial experience. It matters who you hire since not all criminal defense lawyers have trial experience. Others who do may have only limited experience. Your future is on the line; therefore, it's important to ask the right questions when looking for a lawyer like one from Spaulding and Kitzler, LLC who has the experience and skill to represent you.
Before hiring a criminal defense lawyer, ask:
How many open cases the lawyer is presently handling. A lawyer who already has a large caseload may not have much time to spend on your case. Lawyers with excessive caseloads can't always be available for questions or to contact you regularly on where your case stands.
If the lawyer will be the primary person responsible for handling your case. Some lawyers pass along much of the work preparing for a case to an associate or paralegal. Although you may feel comfortable knowing there is another person knowledgeable about your case when your lawyer isn't readily available, you are entitled to have the lawyer you chose to represent you.
How many days a week the lawyer spends in the courtroom. Lawyers who spend a lot of time in court usually don't have the time to meet as frequently with clients who are waiting for their cases to get to trial. But if you're the client, part of your lawyer's job is to help prepare you for what to expect throughout the steps of the court process.
How many years the lawyer has been in practice. That's not to say a lawyer with fewer years of experience isn't competent to represent you. Although experience should not be the sole criteria when choosing a lawyer, experience comes with years and the number of cases a lawyer defends. Lawyers, like other professionals, improve their skills with practice. A lawyer with more years of experience also may have a better feel for whether you have a chance of being acquitted on the charges against you.
What percentage of the lawyer's practice is devoted to representing criminal cases similar to your own. The answer to this question offers insight into the type of legal issues the lawyer has experience handling. A criminal lawyer with experience in the area may be able get your case settled without going to trial by getting it dismissed or negotiating a plea bargain with the prosecutor's office.
For a recent list of cases the lawyer has taken to jury trial. You won't get the names of former clients, but you should get a list of case numbers. Ask for the verdicts so you know how many of the trials the lawyer won.
If the lawyer has handled criminal appeals. Although you hope things won't get that far, you want someone with appellate court experience if you're convicted. Not all lawyers handle appeals on a regular basis. A trial lawyer presents evidence and witnesses. Appellate court is different, as a lawyer must make a legal argument showing the lower court made an error that affected the outcome of the case. No new evidence is presented.
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