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Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I hire a private attorney as opposed to a public defender?
You likely won't meet your court appointed attorney (Public Defender) until your first court appearance. This is far too late. There a many mistakes that people make before this point, such as making self-incriminating statements to a member of law enforcement. These potentially life-altering mistakes would easily be avoided with the advice of a competent attorney.
The courts are very busy, and you will find that a Public Defender is likely not yet familiar with any information about your case. You may immediately feel that your case is just another one being hurried through the system.
Although a Public Defender should provide you competent representation, very often they don't have the time or the resources to mount an extensive defense. They usually have only one or two investigators who must devote their time to the more serious cases such as murders. Ultimately, a Defendant represented by a Public Defender receives the benefit of representation from an overloaded system. This means your Defense is out of your control.
Most importantly, you do not get to select your lawyer. The Public Defender is appointed to you by the court, and you will typically not have the same lawyer throughout your case as it progresses through stages. He or she may be very inexperienced, as "rookies" are normally placed by their superiors onto new cases in the early stages in order to gain experience. This is no time to be a guinea pig for a training lawyer-the early stages of a criminal case are critical to the outcome.
The only way you can exert control over your Defense is by hiring competent, experienced private counsel. A law firm will have depth of resources such as experts and investigators, a staff of legal researchers, and extensive hands-on experience. The potential consequences of criminal charges are severe and life altering. It is vital that your attorney understands that your life is on the line from day one. Your lawyer should do his or her best to protect you, not treat you as just another file on an overflowing desk.
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