Hiring a defense lawyer comes with a set of unique challenges. Unlike other types of lawyers, criminal defense lawyers often have to deal with clients in a vulnerable position—they may face jail time or, at the very least, a criminal record. This can make it difficult to read a potential lawyer’s qualifications and abilities accurately. To help you make the best decision possible, here’s a compilation of 15 questions you should ask before hiring a Sean Fagan Criminal Defence Lawyer.
1. How Long Have You Been Practicing Criminal Defence Law?
The first question you want to raise to the potential lawyer is how many years of experience they have in defending cases similar to yours. Depending on the severity of your charge, you might want to look for an attorney who has been practicing for several years and has handled several cases like yours.
2. How Many Cases Have You Handled That Are Similar To Mine?
This question goes hand-in-hand with the first one. You want to know how many years of experience the lawyer has and how many cases they have tried that are similar to yours. This will give you a better idea of their understanding of the law and ability to defend your case successfully.
3. What Is Your Success Rate In Court?
Next, ask about the lawyer’s success rate in court. This is an important metric because it will give you a good idea of how often the lawyer wins their case. You want to hire a lawyer with a strong track record of success in court.
4. Do You Have Experience With Jury Trials?
If your case is headed to trial, you want to ensure that your lawyer has experience with jury trials. This type of trial is very different from a bench trial, so you want to make sure that your lawyer is well-versed in the nuances of this type of trial.
5. What Is Your Strategy For My Case?
After you’ve asked about the lawyer’s experience and success rate, you want to get into the specifics of their strategy for your case. This will give you a good idea of how they plan to approach your case and their overall strategy.
6. Have You Ever Had A Case Like Mine Before? If So, What Was The Outcome?
Another question you want to ask is whether or not the lawyer has ever had a case like yours. If they have, find out what the outcome was. This will give you a good idea of how the lawyer might approach your case and the likely outcome.
7. What Are The Possible Consequences Of My Case?
Next, you want to ask about the possible consequences of your case. This is important because you need to know what you’re potentially facing if you go to trial and lose. If the consequences are severe, you might want to consider pleading guilty instead of going to trial.
8. What Are My Chances Of Winning The Trial?
After you’ve asked about the potential consequences of your case, you want to get an idea of your chances of actually winning at trial. This will help you decide whether or not it’s worth it to go to trial or if you should get a guilty plea instead.
9. How Much Time Do You Think My Case Will Take To Resolve?
Another important question is how long the lawyer thinks it will take to resolve your case. This is important because you need to know what your timeline is and whether or not you’re prepared to wait that long for a resolution.
10. How Much Will Hiring You As My Defence Attorney Cost Me?
Of course, you also need to ask about the cost of hiring a lawyer. This is important because you need to know whether or not you can afford to hire a lawyer and their fees.
11. Do You Offer Payment Plans?
If you can’t afford to pay the lawyer’s fees upfront, find out if they offer payment plans. This will allow you to make payments over time instead of paying the full amount all at once.
12. What Are Your Qualifications?
In addition to asking about the lawyer’s experience, you also want to ask about their qualifications. This includes their education, training, and any special certifications they might have. You want to ensure that you’re hiring a qualified lawyer who is well-suited to handle your case.
13. Are You A Member Of Any Professional Organizations?
Another question is whether or not the lawyer is a member of any professional organization. This can give you some insight into their level of commitment to their profession and their dedication to staying up-to-date on the latest changes in the law.
14. What Is Your Opinion On The Death Penalty?
If you’re facing charges that could result in the death penalty, you want to ensure that your lawyer is okay with that possibility. Some lawyers are opposed to the death penalty and might not be willing to work on your case if possible.
15. Do You Have Any Personal Or Professional Experience With The Criminal Justice System?
Finally, you want to ask the lawyer if they have personal or professional experience with the criminal justice system. This can give your insight into their understanding of the system and its workings. It can also help you feel more comfortable with the lawyer if they’ve had personal experience with the system.
You will want to ask your potential defense attorney those first-hand questions before hiring them. Be sure to ask these questions (or similar ones) during your consultation appointment. This will help you get to know the lawyer better and decide whether or not they’re the right fit for you. You might also have more once you’ve met with the lawyer and reviewed your case.
