Getting legal advice is challenging and expensive today. Most of the challenge comes from simply not knowing how to find the right professionals to talk to. It can be expensive given the high retainer fees and outrageous hourly rates for legal advice or consultation. Most individuals when looking for criminal defense representation, whether looking out for their personal or family’s needs or even being a business owner, make these mistakes when hiring a criminal defense attorney.
Continue Talking To The Policee
The police are not there ‘to help you’ or ‘make it easy for you’. Everything you tell them can be held against you (or your loved one). You have a right to a lawyer and the right to remain silent.
Talking To Family Or Friends About Your Legal Issues
Your family and friends are great for socializing and advice on some things, but not for legal advice. Most people are not experts on laws or how to legally solve an issue, despite the fact that they are most willing to give you or offer their opinion. Also, if the person you talk to lives in a different city, county, or state; they may not give you the correct information given the area where you reside. Everyone has an opinion; however, when it comes to your legal rights, you want more than an opinion, which can be potentially harmful (or detrimental). You want a legal expert that can address your issue, whether trivial or traumatic, with the proper legal advice.
Looking For The Cheapest Criminal Defense Attorney
Going down a list of Grand Rapids or West Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney’s looking for the cheapest possible retainer to get started on your defense is perhaps the worst mistake that you can make. Being charged with a serious criminal offense can be a life altering event. Its your life! Being cheap when hiring an attorney will have serious consequences.
Talking To Attorneys Who Don't Specialize In Criminal Defense
Did you know that attorneys specialize in their work similar to doctors? You wouldn’t you talk to a gynecologist about men’s health issues. Would you talk to a pediatrician about your pets?
As silly as these examples sound, you may just be doing that by speaking to an attorney specializing in divorce about your criminal case! And if you think that you don’t need to go to an attorney because you assume that your attorney friend or family member knows enough, then please think again.
Paying High Hourly Costs For An Attorney
Another mistake many individuals make is paying high hourly costs for attorneys. Or hiring an attorney because of a low upfront retainer fee, only to be slammed with huge fees later in the process.
Attorney costs vary from state-to-state and even from one attorney to another. You can easily pay-out anywhere from $150-500 an hour! The hourly costs will vary depending on your legal needs or issue: i.e. whether you need representation in a court case, or you simply need a document reviewed, a legal letter written on your behalf, or you need legal advice for a future issue. Your attorney will charge you according to his/her time and resources you use. They want to be valued for the services they provide; however, there are affordable options today to cut these high costs and have all the legal access you need.
Talking to family and friends, talking to attorneys that don’t specialize in the area of law in which you need legal help, and paying high hourly costs for attorneys is definitely not in your best interest. You need assurance that you are talking to the best attorney that knows the law in your area or state, that has expertise regarding your legal rights or concerns, and that is not going to charge you high fees that puts you deeply in debt. There are better alternatives to avoid making the above mistakes.
If you are looking to hiring a criminal defense attorney, please call Shawn now at 616-438-6719!