3 Important Considerations when Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney

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If you are facing a criminal charge, you are facing one of life’s more difficult experiences, and it can be terrifying. Perhaps the most important step you can take to help ensure that your rights are well protected throughout the legal process and that your case is resolved favorably is hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney from the outset. This step is so important, in fact, that you need to get it right. Fortunately, there are three basic considerations that can help you do just that.

Brett Pritchard is a dedicated Florence criminal defense attorney who takes great pride in successfully protecting the legal rights and best interests of clients like you – who are facing the difficult fact of a criminal charge. To learn more about how we can help, contact or call us at 254-501-4040 today.

One: Accepting that You Do Need a Criminal Defense Attorney

Many people who find themselves facing a criminal charge ponder whether they also need the additional stress and expense of hiring a criminal defense attorney. While it is natural to feel this way, you should dispel yourself of this notion. A criminal conviction – even for a relatively minor charge – can lead to overarching negative consequences that haunt your future, including:

  • Affecting your ability to find work

  • Affecting your ability to rent a home

  • Affecting your ability to further your education

  • Affecting your professional licensure

  • Affecting your social standing in the community

Hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney is an investment in your future, and in the end, the benefits of having a proven criminal defense attorney in your corner can more than make up for the legal expense. Forging your most solid criminal defense is a complicated process that requires nuanced legal knowledge and experience, and you do not want to be on the other side of your case regretting your decision to go it alone.

Two: Scheduling a Consultation

Do your research and find a criminal defense attorney who ticks all the boxes regarding what you are looking for, including:

  • Extensive experience as a criminal defense attorney

  • Extensive experience successfully defending the accused in Florence courts

  • An unwavering commitment to his or her clients’ legal rights and best interests

  • The ability to invest the amount of time necessary to obtain the most favorable outcome possible

Even if the attorney in question has everything you are looking for, however, you are well-advised to schedule a consultation. The fact is that you are looking for an attorney who is a good fit for you and your unique situation, and the only way to know if you have found the right attorney for you is to have that initial discussion. If the following apply, you have likely found the right criminal defense attorney for you:

  • You are comfortable opening up and sharing difficult information with the attorney.

  • You feel heard, and you recognize that the attorney understands and is responsive to your concerns.

  • The attorney demonstrates that he or she is interested in working with you – rather than marginalizing your input.

  • You feel a connection with the attorney that you find both reassuring and genuine.

Choosing the right criminal defense attorney for you is of primary importance, and retaining a lawyer sooner rather than later is always a good idea.

Three: Knowing What to Expect

You are facing a criminal charge, and it is nothing if not unnerving. While your case will be unique to you and the circumstances involved, there are some basics that apply in most cases.

Gathering and Considering the Evidence

Your dedicated criminal defense attorney will gather all the facts and evidence related to your case and will take all of it into careful consideration in building your defense. One of the primary considerations is determining how the evidence against you was gathered and if your rights were upheld in that process. Many criminal cases hinge on improper search and seizure, and your attorney will leave no stone unturned toward this end. Further, your attorney will endeavor to ensure that all exculpatory evidence (evidence that is in your favor) makes its way into your defense strategy. Ultimately, crafting a solid criminal defense is similar to putting together a puzzle that contains many pieces, and your experienced criminal defense attorney is deft in this arena.

Discussions with the Prosecution

As your case progresses – as appropriate – your criminal defense attorney may enter into discussions with the prosecutor regarding a plea deal and/or a sentence reduction. If the evidence against you is such that you are unlikely to evade a conviction, your criminal defense attorney will put his or her legal skill and insight to work by entering into negotiations with the prosecutor, who may be motivated to have a sure thing in the form of a lesser charge and conviction – rather than taking on the risk and the expenditure of resources associated with going to trial. Further, your attorney will endeavor to reduce your sentence by whatever legal means possible – regardless of whether your charge is reduced or not.

Find the Right Criminal Defense Attorney for You

If you are facing a criminal charge, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side, but it is important to recognize that all criminal defense attorneys are not created equal. Your case’s resolution is far too important not to hire a practiced criminal defense attorney who is committed to bringing your strongest defense in support of your case’s best possible resolution.

It Is Time to Consult with an Experienced Florence Criminal Defense Attorney

If you are facing a criminal charge, Brett Pritchard at the Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Florence, Texas, is a distinguished criminal defense attorney who looks forward to employing the full force of his experience and skill in pursuit of your case’s optimal outcome. For more information about how we can help you, please do not wait to contact us online or call us at (254) 781-4222 today.

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