Because You Need a Good Lawyer, Not a Businessman

If you were arrested, chances are great that you received the pile of attorney “advertisement” letters sent to everybody in your situation. Mr. Grant will never violate people’s privacy by mailing solicitation or advertisement letters to those who are arrested. You are innocent unless proven guilty, and you might prefer not to have unknown attorneys blithely inform every member of your household, the postal service, and possibly the entire neighborhood that you have been arrested.

The practice of law should be much more than a business. Clients are not widgets. Representing a client properly requires experience and know-how, especially when the client’s liberty and future are at stake and when the Government is utilizing all its resources to prosecute the person. Many attorneys, armed only with a law license and a roll of postage stamps, mass-mail solicitation letters calling themselves criminal law experts. Is this the type of lawyer you want?

Have you ever been in Court when attorneys call out a list of names? Evidently, those names belong to their clients, and the attorneys either have too many clients and don’t recognize them or have never met the clients. Many people initially meet with and retain one attorney only to have that attorney assign another unknown and usually much younger attorney to appear in court and handle the case. When you hire Charlie Grant, you get Charlie Grant and not some unknown or inexperienced lawyer you’ve never even met.

Your Search For The Right Lawyer Begins Upon Release From Jail

You are not required to hire the attorney who assisted in your jail release to represent you in court, and you should not feel pressured to do so. If you find yourself in jail, getting out of jail as soon as possible becomes the most imperative thing. But, it is only the first of many important steps in fighting any subsequent charges. Many attorneys spend thousands of dollars advertising their services as bail bondsmen or jail release attorneys and do an excellent job helping people get released on bond or bail. If such an attorney assisted in your release--whether the lawyer charged a fee or promised to credit toward the actual retainer fee--you are not required to hire that lawyer to represent you in court.

You need not let your understandably frantic desire to get out of jail dictate who represents you against any subsequent charges. The right attorney for your jail release might not be the right lawyer to defend you in court. It is your choice.

Questions You Should Ask

If you are charged with a Class B misdemeanor or higher grade offense, you will likely be required to hire a lawyer--and you should hire one--to defend you. You should also consult with a reputable lawyer for Class C criminal charges. Take the time to find the right lawyer. Before hiring any attorney, you should ask questions. When interviewing a potential attorney, if you feel as if you’re getting the high-pressure sales job, you probably are. Remember: Your lawyer works for you and should place your interests first.

Questions you may wish to ask any attorney you’re interviewing:

• How long have you been practicing criminal law?
• How many matters are you (or your firm) currently handling?
• How can you adequately address all the issues in each case with that number of clients?
• How many cases like mine have you handled?
• If I hire you, will you be doing the legal work and handling court appearances, or will somebody else be handling the case?
• How many jury trials have you--or the unknown attorney who will be handling the case--tried?
• What would be your strategy in defending me against this charge?
• What services does your fee include? What legal services will cost extra?