There are roughly 1.34 million lawyers in the US, which makes it hard to narrow down your choices when finding the best criminal attorney. If you’re in Houston and charged with a crime, the focus is on getting the best attorney in town to save you from imprisonment. However, here is where the challenge starts.
You’ll need to do extensive research and discover how to fish out the best from the rest. This process of finding the best criminal defense lawyer in Houston is frustrating, tricky, and daunting. But don’t worry, we’ll arm you with this guide to make the selection easier for you.
The following are a few things to check before picking one.
1. Check Their Experience
Every criminal case charge is serious, and you might end up losing your job, freedom, financial aid, and driver’s license. So before choosing one of the criminal lawyers in Houston, ensure you find out the number of years they’ve spent in the industry and how experienced they are.
Also, check who trained them. The attorney may likely know Houston’s criminal justice system better if they started as a prosecutor.
2. Look Beyond Price
When searching for a criminal defense lawyer in Houston, ensure to look beyond the price. Most inexpensive attorneys work in high volume, so they charge less. Unfortunately, that means you might end up communicating more with the assistant rather than the lawyer.
Sadly, you might have to wait for them on court dates, and when they eventually show up, the case will be reset, which means they get more money each time the trial is reset.
3. Jury-Tried Cases
Ask the Houston criminal defense attorney for the number of cases they’ve tried before juries and their success rate. The reason is, prosecutors know which criminal defense lawyers don’t try cases, so they won’t hesitate to dismiss your case. Conversely, they also know those that won’t think twice about trying a lawsuit if a prosecutor doesn’t deliver a fair judgment.
4. Always Check References
When you get a good criminal lawyer, ensure the reputation matches. Ask friends and associates for recommendations. You can also request references from the lawyer’s previous clients. Consider asking other lawyers who practice outside the criminal law area to recommend a criminal attorney for you.
5. Hire a Responsive Attorney
Time is an essential commodity when facing a criminal charge. So the earlier you get a criminal defense attorney to work on your case, the closer you’re to freedom. Ensure that any of the criminal defense lawyers in Houston that you contact respond swiftly and possibly sets up a meeting within 24 hours.
Responsiveness is crucial, so make sure the attorney quickly answers your phone call or email.
6. Check the Lawyer’s Team
Every good criminal defense attorney needs a great team because preparing a criminal case isn’t a one-person job. So check if the criminal defense lawyer in Houston you intend to hire has a great administrative team, junior officers, and paralegals to help with your case.
For instance, suppose your lawyer gets sick or unable to push through on the trial date; what happens to you? Will another team member know enough about the case to take over? These are vital questions that need to be answered.
Conclusion
There are certain things to consider before hiring the best criminal defense lawyer in Houston. Hopefully, this simple guide will help you make an informed decision. Remember, there’s no time to spare, so get searching now!
To get the best legal team when it comes to expert knowledge of the Houston legal system, professionalism, and experience, reach out to us at Schiffer Law Firm today. Our experienced criminal defense lawyers will provide you with the proper guidance and advice necessary during this trying time.
