How To Hire A Lawyer When Facing A Sex Crime
1. Do not discuss your case with anyone except a lawyer. This includes the police, your friends and your family. Cooperating with the police will only harm you. Police are trained to lie to you about the actual evidence so you mistakenly believe the only the only way to help yourself is to cooperate and confess.
2. Hire a lawyer who has experience in handling sex crimes.
3. Is the lawyer a member of the NACDL? (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer) Has the lawyer ever tried a criminal? All lawyers claim to have tried cases. Ask for a video of his last trial. See for yourself how the lawyer appears in court.
4. Get a referral from a lawyer you trust. Ask about recent case results. Is the lawyer recognized in the legal community as a ‘Top Lawyer?’
5. Review the website closely. Is the lawyer a jack of all trades? Do not hire a family law lawyer to handle a rape case. Be careful about hiring a former prosecutor to handle your case. While some of the best defense lawyers started out as prosecutors many former prosecutors are lousy defense lawyers. In fact some former prosecutors are more successful in getting convictions as a defense attorney then they were as a prosecutor.
6. Schedule a consultation. Evaluate the lawyer. Is the lawyer concerned more about your ability to pay a large retainer than he is about your version of the case? Does the lawyer speak confidently and eloquently? How many cases has the lawyer tried and won in the last twelve months? Do they have references of clients you can contact?