Need a Lawyer?

Obtaining a lawyer is a funny thing. Everybody has a lawyer, but no one admits to needing a lawyer. Attorneys for any type of case you, or your friend, might need, are not hard to find. A simple search on the internet will show a wide variety of criminal and civil lawyers. The key is to find a good attorney who will put your case first and handle it aggressively for an acceptable outcome. And you need to obtain one in your state because if a crime has been committed, the lawyer needs to be current on the individual state laws and statutes concerning it. A lawyer from another state would not be familiar with another states' laws. And, keep in mind, you cannot be convicted of a crime that has not been identified and/or is not in the statutes, so the attorney must be up on those. Though it is not against the law for you to try your own cases, in most cases, it is necessary to obtain a lawyer. Your attorney must be up-to-date on your charges and any changes that the courts present. To find legal services that are aggressive, informative and knowledgeable for your case, here are some main points to consider: 1) Find out how long they have been practicing law. This will give you an idea as to their familiarity with state laws, courthouses, and the judges. Very Important. 2) See if they are Board Certified by the Bar in their state of practice. 3) Do they routinely handle cases in this system, so they are familiar with procedures, etc.? 4) Check to find out if they have a good reputation among the other attorneys or the general public. 5) Look to see if he/she carries malpractice insurance, just as a safe guard. 6) Take advantage of a free consultation in order to meet and discuss the charges. Determine their "specialty" areas. They are called "specialties" for a reason. 7) Most importantly, make clear the total fee expected, how much do they want up front, and what would the payments be. You certainly do not want to have discrepancies with your lawyer on fees.