If youre facing a legal dilemma at present, will you go for a private or a public criminal defense lawyer? Individuals who cant afford to hire private defense lawyers are hesitant to seek legal help from public defense lawyers because they think that their case will be sold out.
Many people distrust public lawyers because and they often find themselves spending a lot of money on private defense lawyers.
There is very little difference between the services of a public and private criminal defense lawyers. Paying huge money for legal services does not ensure you of a quality representation in court. As long as the individual is able to finish a degree in law and passed the board examinations that person is already qualified to provide legal service. Most new law graduates who are not hired as public defenders turn to private law firms to get a job. In fact, the best lawyers are the public defenders.
When hiring a private defense lawyer, you have to conduct thorough research and some background checks. You need to choose your defense lawyer wisely. Youre free to choose your lawyer but it will entail some work, time, and huge money on your part. Most private lawyers charge hourly rates which can get very expensive over the long run. Beware of private lawyers who dont have a specialization.
This refers to defense lawyers who handle different kinds of criminal cases. For instance, right now, hes working on a domestic violence case and his next case is about drug abuse. If the private defense lawyer works on different kinds of criminal cases, his services will not be very efficient.
Public lawyers gain lots of experience because of the heavy caseloads. In most cases, public defenders have supervisors and colleagues who are willing to answer some of their questions if they are not very familiar with a certain legal concern. If you seek legal help from public defenders, you will surely be able to get a lawyer who specializes in your particular case. Criminal cases vary. You can find domestic violence cases, drug abuse, traffic violations, and a lot more.
A good defense lawyer specializes in only one particular case. Being an all around criminal defense lawyer may be good but very few are successful in it. A lawyer can only achieve expertise, respect, and reputation if they focus in only one type of criminal case.
The public defense lawyers also gain lots of trial experience because cases can still lead to other trials. Indigent individuals can also take advantage of free legal services but only after a thorough evaluation of their status and lifestyle. In most cases, public defenders charge minimal fees which are very affordable. When choosing a public defender, beware of the so called dump trucks. These are the lawyers who tend to give public lawyers a bad image and name. There are even times when these lawyers work with the prosecutors to ensure a guilty plea from their client.
As you can see, private and public criminal defense lawyers have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the individual to choose between the two. If you cant afford for private legal service, then you will end up with public defenders.
In any case, you have to ensure that you can work comfortably with your lawyer and that you can trust him.
