Part 2: How to Evaluate Education, Training and Experience When Hiring a Criminal Lawyer
Fort Worth Criminal Defense Attorney Guide
Oftentimes when we find ourselves in a pinch, we reach out to friends and family for advice and assistance. Unfortunately, unless your uncle is Matlock-reincarnate, you will want to vet each and every potential defense attorney to ensure they have the ability to not only handle your case, but to help you succeed. In other words: your great Aunt Birdie who got you out of a speeding ticket when you were 16 might not be the one to get you out of a hit-and-run charge today.
One way to evaluate and compare potential criminal defense attorneys you may wish to hire is to consider their education, training, and experience. It is possible for an attorney to pass the bar exam, complete their annual continuing legal education requirements every year, pay dues to the state bar, and yet have absolutely no idea how to handle your seemingly-simple misdemeanor case. This is because attorneys practice in numerous different areas, some spending all day popping in and out of criminal courtrooms, while others don’t even know where the criminal courts are located.
Some surface criteria for you to consider when hiring a defense attorney will be where defense counsel attended undergrad and law school, confirm that they passed the Texas Bar Exam, do they appear to be good communicators, do they have experience as former prosecutors and are there public reviews and rankings that can help tell you what others have experienced while working with this attorney? Once you have narrowed down your choices based on this information, continue reading to learn what other areas are important to consider before hiring a defense attorney.
Weeding Out Inadequate or Unqualified Defense Attorneys
Any attorney you consider hiring should at the very least be licensed by and in good standing with the State Bar of Texas. You can verify their license and good standing by searching here. Additionally you can determine whether they hold any specific certifications, whether they have questionable disciplinary history, and learn about the courts in which they’re admitted to practice. The local rules in each jurisdiction set the standards by which certain attorneys who handle misdemeanor cases can also handle felony cases, as well as standards for attorneys handling capital cases. Similarly, there are standards required for attorneys wishing to practice in Federal court. If any of these three areas is important to your case, be sure to question each potential criminal defense attorney about them to find out whether they have experience handling your type of case.
Once you have determined that they are qualified to practice in the court having jurisdiction over your case, you may also want to know if an attorney specializes in certain areas of law. Be aware that the Texas Bar does not offer specific certifications in areas of criminal law such as DUI/DWI, marijuana defense, family assaults, etc., and there is no area of criminal law that would require an attorney that concentrates their practice in that area. The only distinction is made for attorneys who have achieved Board Certification in Criminal Law. It may also be beneficial to know if the defense attorney belongs to legal organizations such as the County and State Bar Associations, the Texas Bar College, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, or the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice section, and whether he or she has ever held office in any of these organizations.
Why Are These Qualities So Important?
According to the State Bar of Texas, “To provide competent, quality representation, counsel must be familiar with the substantive criminal law and the law of criminal procedure and its application in the particular jurisdiction, including changes and developments in the law… Counsel should participate in skills training and education programs in order to maintain and enhance skills.” This is why you will want to ask questions about all of the information suggested above: to ensure you are receiving competent, quality representation. Think about it this way, the criminal defense lawyer you hire is going to be the face that the judge and prosecutors see long before you meet the jury on the day of trial. So don’t you want to know that your attorney has all the education, training and experience to quickly and efficiently handle the legal nuances of your case?
Therefore if it is important to you that your attorney has good rapport with the prosecutors and judges overseeing your case, you will have to dig deeper and ask additional questions, such as, “How long have you been practicing in this county and this court?” “How many contested motions have you argued in this court?” “Have you taken any cases to trial against these prosecutors and in this court?” If you are seeking a defense attorney who specializes in an area such as family assault, you will have to dig deeper and ask additional questions to determine whether that is really their primary practice area. Some helpful questions to ask will be, “What percentage of your case load is in the area of family assault law?” “How many continuing legal education hours did you complete last year in the area of family assault law?” “Have you written any articles, papers, or given any lectures in this area?” “What is your trial success rate in this area of law?” The other distinctions mentioned above such as Board Certification, criminal defense organization membership and leadership, continuing education and intellectual curiosity are extremely important criteria for determining whether a specific attorney is wholly committed to the practice of criminal defense, or merely has a passing interest.
Cofer Law, P.C. Attorneys Have What You’re Looking For
At Cofer Law, P.C. you can rest assured that what you see is what you get. This is why we go to extensive efforts on our Website to tell you who we are and what we’re capable of. On our site we provide you with attorney background information, client reviews, criminal law primers for our various areas of specialty, and an extensive catalog of blog posts on current and emerging legal issues. And if this isn’t enough, call our office or complete our contact form, and we will set up a prompt and free consultation to answer all of your additional questions. Cody Cofer began his legal career as a county prosecutor, while Lauren Crisera immediately focused her career on public defense; both Cofer and Crisera participated in national mock trial competitions while still in law school. Cody Cofer is now Board Certified in Criminal Law, a specialization only accomplished by a few defense attorneys across the state of Texas, and as of this writing boasts a perfect 10.0 Avvo.com rating. Both Cody Cofer and Lauren Crisera have been recognized numerous times as Top Fort Worth Criminal Attorneys and strive to stand head and shoulders above other local attorneys through their participation in continuing legal education, guest lecturing and mentorship. Call or contact us today and let us show you how we can put our extensive education, training and experience to work in your case.
