There are many “truths” that are helpful if you find yourself in need of a criminal defense attorney.

1.) Do not retain a criminal law attorney or DUI defense lawyer based upon the attorney’s office location.

For
many hard working people, it is simply easier to go to a local criminal
law attorney blocks away to make legal decisions that could land you or
a loved one in jail and/or effect one’s livelihood forever. While a
general practice attorney is often acceptable for non specialty areas
such as the drafting of wills, contacts, etc., criminal and drunk
driving defense has become a specialized field requiring unique training
and attention. For example, most police departments have officers who
are trained to do nothing other than pursue drunk driving arrests or
drug crimes. As a result, it is often critical that your attorney be one
that has devoted himself or herself exclusively to the practice of
criminal law or DUI defense with more training in the field than the
officer who has arrested you. In an age where most all top criminal or
DUI attorneys are accessible for free phone or computer consultations,
there is simply no reason not to consult with as many capable criminal
defense law attorneys as possible before making the all important
decision of who will defend you in a criminal court of law.

2.)
Be wary of a fee arrangement that requires you to pay a criminal law
attorney or drunk driving attorney base upon an hourly rate.

It
is often the practice of top criminal attorneys to have a client pay an
initial retainer fee for their criminal defense, followed by a detailed
fee for services performed beyond the initial retainer fee, or down
payment. While not a problem limited to criminal law attorneys or DUI
lawyers, a professional paid by the hour has a financial interest in
prolonging services for their financial benefit. Within the context of a
criminal prosecution, this financial arrangement can too often prove to
be a lose lose situation for an uniformed client. This is so because
not only is a client faced with the prospect of limitless and often
frivolous professional fees, but also the potential of creating
unnecessary conflict between defense counsel and a prosecutor who will
often attribute delays in settlement to a client who is punished for the
needless actions of a criminal arrest attorney with financial thoughts
on his mind not always consistent with an effective criminal defense.

3.)
Never speak to law enforcement without a criminal law attorney and be
especially pro active in retaining a criminal law or DUI defense lawyer
at your earliest opportunity

One who has been arrested for a
felony or misdemeanor crime or accused of a criminal offense must always
be aware that an arresting officer or detective is not your friend. No
matter the kindness and sympathy one in law enforcement may extend to
you, the fact that you are a professional, veteran of the armed forces
or contributor to the sheriff’s department is not going to legally aid
you in providing a legal defense. Only a rookie or inexperienced
detective or police officer will yell and scream at one being
investigated for a crime. Rather, an effective law enforcement officer
is usually trained in the art of gaining a suspect’s trust and in turn
the potential for an incriminating statement without the assistance of a
capable criminal defense law attorney to protect you. Do not let the
truth get in the way of reality. It is an officer’s job to thoroughly
scrutinize a statement given in good faith for any possible
discrepancies in an effort to incriminate one subjected to a criminal
investigation. Once that statement, no matter how innocently intended or
misinterpreted has been made, the job of your criminal law attorney has
been made infinitely more difficult. If you or a loved one is the
target of a criminal investigation and have not given a statement
without the presence of your criminal attorney, consider yourself
fortunate. You have the benefit of securing the services of a top
criminal defense lawyer prior to charging decisions and settlement
options being made within a prosecutor’s office.