There is a minor trend among the very top criminal defense attorneys to charge an hourly rate for case evaluations and not offer a free consultation in criminal cases.
These criminal attorneys who choose not to offer free consultations probably have plenty of business and clients, and have no need to offer 30 minutes or an hour of their time that isn’t billable. That’s great for them.
And if you are certain that you are going to hire such an attorney, know what you are getting, and are prepared to pay top dollar for your defense, then this isn’t an issue.
But for most people who aren’t sure what they are up against, what their options are, and what an attorney can do for them, a free case evaluation can be critical in understanding what is at stake in your criminal case.
Free Consultations and Case Evaluations Still Make Sense
We believe that the free legal consultation is still a valuable tool for most people, especially those who never in their lives expected to be arrested and accused of a crime. And hiring a criminal defense lawyer is a critical decision. You need to find someone with whom you are personally comfortable, and confident that he or she is fully prepared to do the job – aggressively defend your rights in court.
Most people have never had to hire a lawyer before. And especially under stressful circumstances where you could be facing serious penalties and potential jail time.
But how do you find the best lawyer for you? There are lots of lawyers out there. There are lots of lawyers who will take criminal defense cases. And many who work primarily as criminal trial attorneys.
No matter what you do, we recommend to speak to a couple of different attorneys before hiring someone to represent you in criminal court. Whether you pay for an our of his or her time is up to you. But most defense lawyers will still speak to you without charging you up front, although you may not get a thorough case evaluation for free.
But a free initial consultation should at least give you some insight into what you are facing, and how the attorney thinks he or she can help you in court.
The right experience in cases similar to yours is important. But just as important is the feeling you get, that the attorney is being honest with you about your prospects. You will need to trust this person to help you make some very important decisions that will affect your future.
