Tips for Choosing the Right Felony Attorney
Felonies are very serious and are classified depending on the length of the sentence prescribed. Any crime that results in a sentence of one or more years is considered a felony while a crime that involves a sentence of a maximum of one year is considered a misdemeanor. Whether you have been charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, you should consider seeking legal assistance from a reputable federal defense attorney since both crimes may involve criminal fines. Some of the most common types of felonies include grand theft crimes, aggravated crimes, homicides, kidnapping and continuous smuggling of persons, cheating at gambling, manufacturing of counterfeit items, sexual assault incidents, tax-related violations, domestic violence just to mention but a few. A good felony attorney will do everything possible within the bounds of the law to secure your release or ensure that the charges against you or a loved one are reduced. Finding the right felony attorney may however be quite a challenge considering that such legal practitioners are available in large numbers in the industry. You may, therefore, need to look into some aspects as will be highlighted below to make an informed choice.
One crucial aspect you should look at when hiring a felony attorney is the industry experience. Civil and criminal cases tried by federal agencies are quite complex due to the pressure and stresses exerted by the government agencies that may result in the collapse of your case, hence the need to hire a felony attorney with many years of experience in the industry with a specialty in your area of legal concern to be guaranteed a fair trial. Your preferred felony attorney should also have years of hands-on experience using defense methods and tactics that have been proven to help in reducing jail sentence, eliminating jail time and also clearing one’s criminal conduct from his or her record. You can establish this by taking a look at the volume of relevant cases the felony attorney of your choice has handled and examining the outcome of those particular cases. If he or she was able to get a fair trial for his or her previous clients, you are highly likely o get a similar outcome.
Secondly, you should consider the reputation of your preferred felony attorney before enlisting his or her services. A highly reputable felony attorney will not only guarantee you a fair trial but also exhibit a high level of professionalism in service delivery, hence the need to settle on one. One effective way to establish this is by checking the state bar listings for any recent disciplinary action or complaints leveled against the attorney of your choice. You can also ask for a client reference through which you will get the views of the attorney’s most recent clients, thereby getting an insight into what to expect from him or her. A federal defense attorney whose reputation is unquestionable will not hesitate to give you all the details you may need regarding his or her services and will gladly offer you free initial consultations through which you will have an ample time interviewing him or her and getting all the information you may need, hence make the right choice.