Part 3: Time and Resources Are Essential When Hiring a Criminal Lawyer
Fort Worth Criminal Defense Attorney Guide
Under certain circumstances you may qualify to have a court appointed attorney (also known as a public defender) represent you in your criminal case, and we will also cover this option in this section. Continue reading to learn why adequate time and resources are so important to the success of your criminal case.
Attorney Caseload Can Directly Impact Your Case
Any criminal defense attorney you work with, whether appointed or hired, is obligated to dedicate “necessary” time and resources to representing you in your case. In theory, this means in-person meetings outside of court to discuss your case, walk through the facts, develop witnesses and contemplate trial strategies. In practice, some defense attorneys will complete the initial client conference and then you may not see them again until your pre-trial hearing or on the day of trial. The court appointed or “wheel” system creates a pot luck possibility that you will get one of the latter lackadaisical types of attorneys rather than the former diligent types of attorneys, which is a chance you can’t afford to take when facing potential fines and jail time. When it comes to criminal charges, the best idea is to hire the best attorney you can afford.
You must also take into consideration whether you are facing charges brought by the State or the Federal government. If you are facing Federal felony charge, you will need to hire an experienced Federal defense attorney who is prepared to dedicate large blocks of time and extensive investigative resources to defending your case. This is due to several factors: Federal prosecutors assigned to your case will have exceedingly more time to dedicate to prosecuting your case than a State prosecutor; Federal prosecutors will also have exceedingly more resources in the form of assistants, researchers and investigators at their disposal than a State prosecutor; all of this time and manpower on behalf of the Federal prosecutor dedicated to prosecuting your case equates to a stronger case against you.
Skimping On Time and Resources Is Not An Option
The State Bar of Texas plainly states: “Counsel must maintain research capabilities necessary for presentation of relevant issues to the court;” Counsel also “has an obligation to confirm that counsel has available sufficient time, resources, knowledge and experience to offer quality representation to a defendant in a particular manner… Counsel has the obligation to maintain regular contact with the client and keep the client informed of the progress of the case, when it is possible to do so;” and “Counsel should spend appropriate time on each case regardless of whether counsel is appointed or retained.”
According to research and recommendations by the American Bar Association, a criminal defense lawyer should not oversee more than 100 cases at any given time, however in practice some defense attorneys (especially public defenders) represent clients in over 200 cases. It is easy to see from this number how cases and clients will suffer when their defense attorney is stretched so thin on each case. Thus you don’t want to gamble by accepting representation by a public defender or hiring a discount attorney who is unable to dedicate necessary time and resources to your case.
When facing Federal charges, please give special consideration to whether or not the attorney you are choosing concentrates their practice in this area. Most likely, a Federal defense attorney will cost more money for representation, in part because such attorneys require additional credentials and experience than those who only practice in State court. Additionally, the charges you are facing may be more complex and require extensive legal research during the course of the case, which requires additional manpower and time to dedicate to your case. Again, you should seriously consider hiring the best attorney you can afford for any type of case.
Cofer Law, P.C. Always Dedicates 100% To Every Case
Not only is Cofer Law, P.C. prepared to represent you in defending your misdemeanor and felony charges here in Fort Worth, we are also experienced in defending Federal criminal cases in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. This prestigious distinction means we have already proven to other clients that we have the time, resources and in-court experience to represent you in any court in the Fort Worth area.
As a concrete example of the time and energy necessary to successfully defend a criminal case and our dedication to our clients, take a minute to read this War Story about an actual client facing felony burglary charges. We know your time is valuable, so don’t waste it by hiring one of the big box defense companies. Hire a Fort Worth Criminal Attorney who is uniquely capable of providing one-on-one attention to each client as we walk with you through the criminal defense process.
