Updated on 10/26/2023 / Under Criminal Defense
When you have been accused of a crime you have a lot of decisions to make them. One of them is to decide whether you are going to take a guilty or not guilty plea agreement. The prosecutor will recommend punishments that you have the option of accepting or refusing. The most important decision you are going to have to make is on the legal counsel you choose to represent you.
When you are being accused of a crime it is your constitutional right to have a court-appointed public defender representing you if you cannot afford a criminal lawyer. However, if you can afford one as a criminal defendant you now have two options. You can either opt for a public defender or your choice of lawyer.
When you are being accused of a serious crime you need a skilled and experienced lawyer to take on the criminal trial position of defending you There are people who opt to represent themselves while others will only have the option of a public defender on their case.
When you are facing serious charges that threaten your freedom in your future years, you need a trial attorney who can be able to come up with strategies aimed at helping you get the best possible outcome in your case.
Depending on whether you have a public defender or criminal defense attorney giving you legal representation the most important thing is to know their competency. Your case success depends on how competent your criminal defense lawyer is.
Differentiating Between Private Attorneys and Public Defenders
A public defender is a governmental employee and are appointed for you when you cannot afford a private lawyer. They are an integral part of the US justice system. The constitution recognizes your civil right to have competent legal representation. Public defenders work on a variety of cases. They work on big cases such as felony murder cases as well as small misdemeanors.
When it comes to a court-appointed public defender you do not have a right to choose one for yourself. One will be picked for you and assigned to your case. Most public defenders that are assigned to cases have many other cases that they are working on at the same time.
You have the legal right to choose the top-notch defense lawyer that you want to work with and they have the right to choose if they want to work with you. The workload of a private attorney is less compared to the workload of a public defender. Since they have a smaller workload they are able to give your case attention.
You will have to pay for a private attorney. However, it is important to know that the high fees you will pay for a lawyer do not guarantee you a win. Even so, hiring a private attorney will help you to ensure that your case gets the attention it needs and you have an effective defense.
Benefits of a Private Attorney Vs a Public Defender
A study conducted by Morris B Hoffman a trial judge in Colorado showed that a defendant who chose to work with a public defender had a higher chance of not only going to jail but as well getting longer jail time. The study also showed that the defendants who hired private attorneys to work on their cases served a shorter sentence of 3 years on average. Here are the benefits of a private attorney vs. a public defendant.
Benefits of a Public Defendant
A public defender is assigned to you for free when you are facing a criminal charge. If the state determines that you are unable to hire a private defense lawyer they will assign a public lawyer to your case. When you have legal defense assigned to your case you can avoid the hefty private-sector lawyer fees.
Public defendants have been able to build a relationship with the prosecutors, district attorney, and the judges since they work with them on most cases. It can prove to be advantageous to your case.
Benefits of a Private Attorney
Private attorneys are available to you within the duration of your case. An excellent attorney has resources that can help out with your case. The more resources they have the better the outcome of your case. Excellent attorneys also come with staff that can help out with the dispute resolution revolving around your case. A public defendant has a high probability of taking a quick plea deal due to their busy schedule so they can move on to another case.
They offer the best services. A private attorney depends on their client's recommendations to get more business. They take on each case as a new one and offer the best to ensure they get the best possible outcome since their career does depend on it.
A private attorney offers more possibilities. When you hire a private attorney they work with a team of experts to prove your innocence in a case. They work with private investigators, private laboratories, and as well provide expert witnesses to testify in your case.
They have empathy. A private attorney will listen to you. They take the time to understand the details of your case and come up with strategies.
Private attorneys have networks. Because they work in different cities and counties in different courtrooms they will be able to have access to custom resources that will prove beneficial to you.
Why You Should Hire a Private Defense Attorney
You need private counsel on your case that is attentive to every little detail. A public defender will see your case as just another case in their day-to-day routine. It is not unlikely for them to have a heavy caseload of over 25 to 50 cases in a day.
Public defendants can be good lawyers and most of them are good lawyers, they are just overworked. A private lawyer has the time and the resources to handle your case. When you visit a private lawyer’s office or when you make a call to a criminal law firm you will find lawyers who have different areas of practice. A team will be available to give full attention to your case.
Having the constitutional right to private counsel by your side is detrimental to your case. It will determine a not guilty or a guilty verdict. If you have been falsely accused of a crime or you are facing a serious criminal offense the attorney that you have representing your case will determine your fate. You do not want to gamble with your life or freedom. Choose a legal service that gives you a better chance at getting your freedom.
Get a Lawyer’s Opinion About Your Case
A person that does not have legal experience will not possess the analytical skill required to go through the case and come up with a defense possibility. Finding a competent defense will enable you to get the details about the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
The law when it comes to different cases is ever-changing and every case is different. Having a skilled and experienced attorney go over your case and give you the facts and insights concerning your case.
Most of the attorneys that you will find will offer you a free consultation. There are some of them that will charge you a small fee depending on the case. Even if they charge you a small fee the session will prove to be useful to your case.
You should carry all the documents such as a police report that revolve around your case to the session so you can make sure that you use your time in the best way. Also, prepare the legal questions that you would want the lawyer to answer.
A consultation does not mean that you have to work with the attorney. However, it will help you to analyze if the trial lawyer is the right fit. Also, you will be able to determine if you have found the strongest defense if you do decide to go to trial.
You can book an initial consultation with the Ktenas Law, tell us all about your case and find out if we are the right fit for you!
