What you need to know when hiring a criminal defense lawyer in Oklahoma.
I am a criminal defense lawyer and I have represented hundreds of people charged with felonies and misdemeanors since I have been an attorney. I have an office in Tulsa and primarily practice in Tulsa County, Tulsa Municipal Court, Rogers County, Mayes County, Wagoner County, Creek County and Federal Courts in Tulsa and Muskogee. However, if the case is serious enough I will travel anywhere. I have more experience and have gotten better results than most of the Oklahoma criminal lawyers practicing today. I consider myself more of a craftsman than a businessman.
Over the years I have seen lots of lawyers come and I have seen lots of lawyers go. The criminal justice system can be a scary place if you do not know your way around, so how do you know who to hire? Hiring a criminal lawyer is an important decision and like all important decisions in your, life you should conduct some research before making that decision. Below is an article that I hope will assist you in making the best choice for your case.
Information You May Want to Consider Before Hiring a Criminal Lawyer
Lawyers are trained to be persuasive and unfortunately some attorneys are unethical. Hiring a criminal attorney is especially frustrating because not only is it expensive, but your liberty is at stake. Before you hire a criminal lawyer there are some very important things that you should know.
- Hiring the Best Lawyer
- Be a smart consumer
- Trust your instincts
- Look for an ethical criminal attorney
- Avoid the Mercedes Mentality
- Get a written contract
- You get what you pay for
- You should seriously consider hiring a trial lawyer
- The prosecutor assigned to your case will know if your attorney is a trial lawyer
- Most criminal lawyers have little or no trial experience
- Ask any prospective attorney for a list of cases they have taken to jury trial
- Serious criminal charges require serious criminal lawyers
- Look for Independent References
Hiring the “Best Lawyer”
From time to time I hear people say that they are going to hire the “best lawyer” that there is to represent them on their criminal case. Who is the “best lawyer” in America? Well, I guess that depends on who you ask. But the reality is that if I were charged with a serious criminal offense it is highly unlikely that I could afford the best, so I guess I would be looking for the best lawyer I could afford. Or the best lawyer I could afford that would agree to take my case, in that respect I would be like every other criminal defendant. The goal of everyone facing a serious crime should be to find the best lawyer they can afford that will take their case.
Be a smart consumer when hiring a criminal lawyer
Just as with any other purchase “buyer beware”. You should take it upon yourself to carefully research an attorney before spending thousands of dollars on the lawyer. Just because somebody you know says that a lawyer is “good” does not make it so, you should take your time and do some research before hiring a criminal attorney. There are many lawyers in and around Tulsa and across Oklahoma that you would not want representing you on a serious criminal matter.
Ask the attorney how many open cases they currently have. Ask the attorney how many days a week they appear in court. If an attorney has fifty or one hundred open cases and appears in court everyday of the week, than how much time will they be able to devote to your case? If you have a case that will require a lot of attention, you may want to consider hiring an attorney with a smaller case load. If your case does not require much attention the attorney’s case load may not matter much to you.
Ask the attorney “who will be handling my case?” If the lawyer employees a lot of secretaries, paralegals and associates the lawyer has to pay their salary somehow. Often times lawyers such as this, have these types of employees doing the legal work on their client’s cases. You may pay for a lawyer that you like and end up with a paralegal or associate doing most of if not all the work on your case
Ask the lawyer how long he or she has been practicing. Just because a lawyer is older does not mean they have been practicing law for a long time.
Do not pay a “Trial Lawyers Fee” to someone who is not a trial lawyer. If you have a case that may have to be tried to a jury or that may have to be set for a jury trial, you can expect to pay more because your case is more complicated and takes a more skillful and experienced lawyer to handle the case. However, just because a lawyer charges you more does not mean they are experienced and skillful. Never pay a “trial lawyers fee” to a non-trial lawyer. If you do more often than not the lawyer will talk a big game until they get the fee and then as trial approaches they will tell you that you should not go to trial for one reason or another.
If you understand how experienced lawyers analyze criminal cases you are more likely to make a better decision in hiring a good criminal lawyer for your case. It will also help you to understand probable cause and the important role it plays in Oklahoma’s criminal justice system.