Each state has its own criminal defense lawyer association. This organization sees to it that anyone who is accused of a crime is given fair representation in a court of law. They also do their share in protecting and strengthening the constitution, improving the administration of justice and promoting public awareness of the function and duties of criminal defense lawyers.
One way they are doing that is by offering legal services to those who cannot afford to hire a top notch lawyer. Some call them public defenders that will do their best to protect your rights.
Aside from providing their services to clients, they also have other activities such as conduct seminars for its members, raise money and offer scholarships. Each association is governed by a board which plans the events for the year that includes publishing newsletters, formal and informal networking and continuing legal education.
The criminal defense lawyer association through its members also lobbies and obtains information about new legislation as this affects their practice whenever they have to help a client in open court.
For those who are not yet members, all they have to do is fill up a form. Law students may already apply and after paying the membership fee, they will be able to access information about legal matters that are only available to members.
Apart from state criminal lawyer associations, there is a bigger one called the National Lawyer Association. What they do here is not that different from what they do on the state level.
As a member, you get assess to online research, virtual office opportunities, lawyer referral service, membership benefits and services as well as immediate leadership opportunities in legal sections and committees. The best part is that you don’t have to leave your state’s association to become a member in the national level.
The advantage of being a member of a criminal defense lawyer association is that anyone who wants to seek your services will no longer question your capability as a lawyer because you have already proven yourself among your colleagues.
How? By being granted membership into the organization which means they recognize you as an equal. What potential clients will likely ask now is how many cases have you won and how many times have you argued this in court.
When you talk to a client, tell them straight out they you cannot guarantee that you can win their case. What you can promise though is that you will do your best to help them get out of this mess.
So what should you do if you have a legal problem and have no idea who to call? The best thing to do will be to get the number of the criminal defense lawyer association in your state so you can get the name of a lawyer who can help you out.
If you can’t find it, look for it online because most of these have an official website with a list of their current members and their contact numbers. Initial consultation is usually free and if you are satisfied, then you should hire this person immediately so your legal woes will be straightened out. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about paying for high legal fees since this organization has ways of getting the necessary funds to pay for their members.
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In basketball, they say that a good defense is the best offense. The same goes when you have to go to trial because your life is on the line and the only way to prevent yourself from going to jail is by selecting a criminal defense lawyer who will be able to represent you when the evidence is presented.
Criminal defense lawyers are a special breed of individuals because they specialize in criminal law. Some of these people represent those who are guilty and will do everything in their power to make sure their client does not go to jail.
But how do you select a criminal defense lawyer? For that, you have to find someone who specializes in this field. If you don’t know any, ask your friends or family for help.
When you see them for the first time, this is not a social call but business. You should ask them straight out how long has he or she practiced criminal law, the number of cases that went to trial and how many times have they won.
Do a background check on the criminal defense lawyer. Find out if they belong to any legal organizations like the County or State Bar Associations. If this person is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, then chances are you are already in good hands.
But since this is not enough, find out if they will have the time to work on your case because you could lose it if they are not able to provide a good defense.
You should also find out how much they charge for their legal fees and if they will be the one who will personally handle your case. If they are asking you for a large sum of money up front, leave the office and find someone else right away.
If you find the rate reasonable and feel comfortable talking to this person, then by all means hire this individual to be your criminal defense attorney.
Now discuss your case and then follow whatever instructions are given. This person should be able to explain to you how things will go and what they will do.
The ideal criminal defense lawyer is the public defender because this is what they do day in and day out. Although they usually get a bad rap, they are very experienced when it comes to going to court which is why they are often used as consultants by private attorneys. Some have even left and established their own firms specializing in criminal law.
Will this guarantee that you will win your day in court? Of course not. Nobody can guarantee that even if you can afford hiring a very rich attorney.
This all boils down to how well this person will be able to cast doubt on the evidence used by the prosecution because you will only get a guilty verdict if they can prove beyond reasonable doubt that you are indeed responsible for the crime.
Selecting a criminal defense lawyer is crucial because not be able to get a good defense will likely get you a guilty verdict. You can prevent that form happening since you are given time to look for one before you are arraigned and asked how do you plead in front of the judge.
Lawyer Related Articles
- A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Defend Against A Misdemeanor Charge
- A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Defend Against Murder Charges
- Hiring A Criminal Defense Lawyer For A DUI Charge
- How Does A Criminal Defense Lawyer Do Their Job
- How to Find A Criminal Defense Lawyer
- Life As A Criminal Defense Lawyer
- Selecting A Criminal Defense Lawyer
- The Criminal Defense Lawyer Association
- What A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Do For You
- What Is A Criminal Defense Lawyer
- What is Criminology?
- What is the American Society of Criminology?