People charged with the violation of the law or suspected of a crime require the services of a criminal defense lawyer to present their defense or negotiate the penalty. A competent criminal defense attorney can prepare a case for trial, negotiate a bargain, and design the best defense strategy. Those facing criminal charges should find a criminal lawyer that understands the nature of the charges filed, plea bargain deals, any available defenses, and the impact of a criminal conviction on the clients.
Choosing an effective criminal lawyer in Minnesota
Whether a person is under investigation for a criminal offense or has been actually arrested and charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, they need an experienced criminal lawyer to protect their constitutional rights.
Here are the important factors to take into consideration when selecting a criminal lawyer.
Experience and Reputation
Competent criminal lawyers such as those from Keller Law Offices know just what information the prosecution will need to prove accused persons guilt. The defense lawyers will also know what information the accused person needs to prove their innocence, and whether there are any legal rules justifying the accused person’s actions. So ask around first and find out what reputation and experience your prospective law firm/lawyer has before hiring them.
Focus of the practice
Some lawyers and law firms dabble in all disciplines of law, from Family Law to property law, etc. When looking for a criminal lawyer, choose one who specializes in criminal law. You will even find lawyers who have specialized in the various disciplines of criminal law, such as sex crimes, drug crimes, driving while intoxicated, traffic violations, and white collar crimes. Such criminal defense lawyers understand the importance of a prompt and strong legal defense, as well as the intricate do’s and don’ts needed to win.
Trial experience
How many trials has your criminal lawyer sat through? The ideal criminal lawyer has considerable trial experience in a wide variety of criminal cases including drug crimes, driving while intoxicated, traffic violations, sex crimes (child pornography charges, internet sex crimes, rape, sex assault, and child molestation), white collar crimes and felonies including homicide, manslaughter, robbery, burglary, theft, and assault.
They conduct a thorough investigation of circumstances surrounding a clients arrest and the facts of the case with a view to determining wheth er the law enforcement officers had justifiable grounds to make a traffic stop or to conduct any search or seizure. They seek to suppress any evidence that has been improperly obtained and challenge the validity or credibility of testimony or evidence, when appropriate.
Winning record
When all is said and done, you want a criminal defense lawyer that wins their cases. And the best way to determine this is to look at their winning streak. How many cases have they won in the last year or in their career? How many have they lost? What’s their probability of winning a case based on these figures? Only proceed if you’re impressed with the odds presented here. After all, the stakes in any criminal case are high.
