the Price of Criminal Defense Lawyers

In January 2008, a family member was accused of a criminal act. We consulted with different criminal lawyers based upon reputation, wins vs losses, and cost. Most we found to be very expensive no matter their proven track record. As this process was unfamiliar to me, I decided to find someone based on suggestion and personal advice. His costs ($7500) did seem rather high, but not as expensive as our other inquiries. The person chosen also allowed a payment plan, $1500 down, $300 per month, with a clause of $3500 being non-refundable and all future expenses to be pre-approved.

The person I chose was very reputable in the courtroom and cost efficient. Unfortunately, once the contract was signed, he became a hard person to contact. His knowledge base was vast, but he lagged in giving updates or options. In the following months, he hired other lawyers and is now more accessible. We still have to contact him for case updates, directives, etc., but it now makes me more at ease that I did well in chosing him to represent my family member.

When searching for a criminal attorney, ask around before looking through the phone directory. Although it may seem a hard task, follow through. The best person for the job may not be as expensive as you think.