If an accused has been arrested or is
awaiting a trial on criminal charges he may wish to hire
a defense attorney. There are numerous defense attorneys
that an accused may have to chose from. There are
various places to find a defense attorney. Some of the
places that an accused may find a defense attorney
include:
- The court. The court may have a list of potential
defense attorneys.
- Recommendation from family and friends.
- The local phone book.
- Contact the State Bar Association.
- Consult the Martindale-Hubbell publication for
your state. This publication lists various attorneys
in your state and area in which you reside.
If the accused is indigent, he may request the
appointment of a public defender to represent him.
What to Ask the Defense Attorney
Once the accused has found the name of an attorney,
he should meet with the attorney. There are numerous
questions that the accused should ask the attorney.
Examples of some questions include:
- What type of law does the attorney primarily
practice?
- How long has the attorney been in practice?
- How much criminal experience does the attorney
possess?
- How much does the attorney charge?
- How long does the attorney anticipate that the
proceedings will take?
- What are the potential consequences involved with
the offense charged?
Once the Attorney is Retained
Once the accused has retained an attorney to
represent him in his criminal proceedings, the attorney
will file an appearance with the court. From that point
on, any communications should be through the accused's
attorney. The prosecution should not directly contact
the accused for questioning or to present a plea
bargain. Any communications between the attorney and the
accused are considered confidential and cannot be used
against the accused.
