What Questions Should I Ask My Criminal Attorney?

We hear this question a lot from our potential clients because most of them have never had the need to hire a lawyer, let alone a criminal defense attorney.

Frankly, a comprehensive list of questions to ask a lawyer that you are considering engaging could be pages and pages long because every situation is different. While not comprehensive, the following questions will give you a good start:

1. How long have you been practicing?
2. How long have you been practicing in this area?
3. How many cases have you handled that are similar to mine?
4. How recently have you handled a case similar to mine?
5. How frequently do you appear in the court that my case has been cited in to?
6. How many cases have you handled with the prosecutor that has been assigned to or will be assigned to my case?
7. How familiar are you with the prosecutor or the prosecutor’s office’s policies?
8. Other than a law degree, what other specialized training or knowledge do you have that might apply in my situation?
9. What is your approach to working up a case similar to mine?
10. What are your attorneys’ fees and costs and how are they billed?

Any attorney worth engaging:

(a) will be happy to answer these questions for you; and
(b) shouldn’t have any difficulty answering them.