subject: More About Choosing A Criminal Attorney [print this page] A Criminal attorney will handle cases that involve criminal charges, such as arson, murder, assault, fraud, theft, embezzlement, etc. The main focus of your criminal lawyer is to study the evidence and the work out a successful defense strategy for you. Criminal attorneys' work both as prosecutors who work on behalf of the government, and as defense lawyers who represent those who are being charged.
Your lawyer will be working as defense attorney on your behalf, and will advise you of your legal rights and discuss your legal options with you. If you are accused of a felony, you may be facing serious consequences that might include huge fines, being on probation, or imprisonment. So it is important that you have a criminal lawyer representing you. If you have been charged in New York, you want a criminal attorney NYC to represent you.
When you are choosing a criminal attorney NYC you want to look for an attorney that has lot of experience, is skillful at cross-examining the prosecution's witnesses, and that has a reputation for winning his/her cases.
Every state has laws that govern how a criminal case is handled. However, the basics such as meeting the client, establishing a trial date, and conducting the background investigation are the same in every state.
Choosing a criminal lawyer to represent you is a tough thing to do. It pays to do your research before you make that decision. All licensed attorneys have completed law school and then passed their bar exam. However, some lawyers have gone on to take more than the basic requirements to become a lawyer. You may want to look for an attorney that has additional skills such as excellent listening skills, good communication skills, good organization skills, competent in handling criminal cases that are complex, etc.
Criminal cases involve a great deal of paper work. If the first time you meet with a potential criminal lawyer and you see that he/she is flustered, unorganized, and doesn't seem to be focused, you should consider choosing someone else. After all, this is your life, and the last thing you want is someone that's misplacing important documents, or someone that forgets a key piece of information.
You can ask your friends, family, and/or colleagues for referral for a good criminal attorney, which can save you a great deal of time. You can also find listings for criminal attorneys online in various directories or just by doing a search and most cities have local resources that provide listings of available criminal law firms. If you find a criminal attorney that you think is right, before you make that final decision ask him/her for references. This is a good way to see what others think of this lawyer's skills.
Joel is a solo practitioner who would be happy to discuss your criminal case with you to ensure you are on the right path. Criminal charges are serious and can affect you for the rest of your life so make sure you choose the right criminal attorney NYC.