Do You Really Need To Hire a Lawyer

Is It Necessary To Spend Thousands of Dollars on a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Thousands of people are charged with crimes every year across the country. In Fresno County alone there are thousands of cases filed a month again people by the Fresno County District Attorney's office. That does not include the Assistant United States Attorneys filing federal charges every month. 

The stakes are high when criminal charges are involved. Punishment in criminal matters range from fines to the death penalty with years of prison and financial ruin in between. There is no doubt that criminal cases can be scary, even a relatively minor drunk driving offense can be punished by jail time and fines totaling more than $3,000.

Criminal Defense Lawyers Are Not Cheap

Criminal charges can be scary because the punishment can be severe and most people are unfamiliar with the system. Many people hire a criminal defense lawyer to help them or their loved one face criminal charges. Unfortunately, criminal defense lawyers charge several thousands of dollars for most cases. I charge people different amounts depending on the complexity of the case and several other factors.

The most important factor I consider when quoting fees to a potential client is the maximum exposure the person is facing. For example, if a person is charged in a federal matter that carries 20 years to life in prison then I would begin my fees around $20,000. That is just a starting point because I would have to consider other factors before I would agree to take the case for that amount. 

Another factor that I consider in setting fees is the location of the court where I will have to appear. If I have to travel out of Fresno County then I generally add in the estimated travel expenses as well as the estimated fees that I will have to pay other attorneys to appear for me when I am out of Fresno County.

The equation gets more complicated from here because it is at this stage in the process that I have to consider the client's criminal history, the potential issues that the specific cases includes and the judge that will be hearing the case as well as the Deputy District Attorney that will be prosecuting the case. All these issues factor into the amount I charge to represent a person because they will effect the difficulty of the case and the amount of work that has to be done on the case. 

All these things considered, my fees range from $1,500 to $100,000 for a single case. Most people do not tell me directly that they question the need to pay me so much but I am fairly certain that some people cannot help but wonder if it is absolutely necessary to pay me so much. 

If You Can Afford It, Then You Should Hire A Lawyer

Some attorneys may tell you that you should always hire a lawyer but I can honestly say that sometimes a private lawyer is not justified. I have worked for the Public Defender's office and I will tell you that most of the attorneys that work there are competent lawyers that have a tremendous amount of experience. In California every person that is charged with a crime that carries potential incarceration is entitled to get a public defender at no cost or with an income based fee range.

In most cases you can go with a public defender if money is particularly tight. The problem with using a public defender is that they are busy and cannot spend as much time as a private attorney.  One of the best things about having a private attorney is that you can ask a lot of questions and get in touch with the attorney if you need to talk with him or her. 

The other advantage of hiring a private attorney is that if you are not happy with the private attorney you can fire them and hire another lawyer. If you are appointed a public defender you cannot fire the public defender. Many people believe that public defenders can be 'fired', that is not true. If an appointed attorney is not representing the defendant and the judge agrees that he or she has not done her job then the judge can appoint another attorney. 

My experience has been that the most successful private attorneys are successful because they have done a good job and everybody wants to hire them. Almost all of my clients come to me by referral. Someone that I have represented has told someone else that I did a good job for them and that leads them to contact me for help. 

If you want a lot of time to ask questions and a good relationship with the person that is going to represent you then you need to hire a private attorney. Many private attorneys are former public defenders that were successful as public defenders so they went out on their own. That is exactly what happened in my case. 

I only left the comfort of a regular job with benefits after many clients told me that they wanted to hire me privately. With many happy clients to serve as a client base I went out on my own. I have been happy as a private attorney because I can choose which clients I want to help and I have total freedom with my practice. 

I cannot deny that being a private attorney has been financially rewarding as well. The one thing that I did not mention above was the reality that I only have a certain number of hours in a day. My fees reflect that when I raise my rates because I have too many clients and not enough time to properly represent them all. 

Back to the issue at hand, should you hire a lawyer? I cannot tell you to hire a lawyer or not to hire a lawyer because I do not know your financial situation or the specifics of your case. If you really want to be informed about developments in your case and you want the best possible outcome then you should hire a private attorney. 

Make sure that you get some references from friends or former clients of the attorney and then hire the best lawyer you can afford. Remember your life, freedom and finances are on the line, the money you save by not hiring a lawyer may not be of any use to you if you are in prison for years and it certainly will not replace the feelings you feel when you spend quality time with a loved one that would otherwise be in prison.