When Should You Hire a Criminal Defense Attorney? As Soon as Possible.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible when facing a criminal charge.

When you or a loved one is charged with a crime, it’s important to take the matter seriously. It doesn’t matter whether you’re charged with a minor misdemeanor or serious felony. It doesn’t matter if you think the State doesn’t have a case, or you think it’s something you can “beat” on your own.

Let me give you two examples that showcase the importance of promptly hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

Example #1

A lady calls seeking representation for her boyfriend who was charged with three felonies. During the conversation, it came out that her boyfriend had already been convicted by a jury of two of those felonies the day before. Based on his prior record, he also qualified as a habitual felony offender and prison releasee reoffender, meaning he was facing a sentence of between 5 years and 20 years in state prison.

By the time they sought private criminal defense representation, the options were limited. The trial was over, and the only thing that could be done was to try to minimize the sentence — but he was going to go to prison for at least five years.

Example #2

During an initial consultation one Friday, a mother sought representation for her son who was charged with a life felony. Upon reviewing the Clerk of Court’s website, the son’s jury trial was set to begin on Monday, a mere 3 days away!

Preparing for trial is a long process — from the discovery phase, to depositions, to reviewing and studying case law, and putting all of that together to make a defense case. It can take months to prepare for trials. Taking on a case 3 days before a jury trial is not fair to the client nor the attorney.

So when should you consult an attorney?

As soon as you begin facing a criminal charge — whether you have been arrested, or an investigation is ongoing that could lead to an arrest. Please don’t wait!

At Stevens Law Firm, we offer complimentary initial consultations. I will sit down with you to understand the situation, and provide honest feedback and answers to your questions — based on my 8 years of experience as a prosecutor.

Contact me today:

WEBSITE: https://www.stevenslawfirmpllc.com/contact
EMAIL: info@stevenslawfirmpllc.com
CALL: (850) 304–7880