Important Basics Before Hiring a Criminal Defence Attorney

>> What Is a Criminal Defence Lawyer?
>> What Do Criminal Defence Attorneys Do?
>> Criminal Defence Lawyer vs. Criminal Defence Attorney: Are They Different?
>> How Much Should You Pay a Criminal Defence Lawyer?

Transcript

1. Important Basics Before Hiring a Criminal Defence Attorney
2. Table of contents  What Is a Criminal Defence Lawyer?  What Do Criminal Defence Attorneys Do?  Criminal Defence Lawyer vs. Criminal Defence Attorney: Are They Different?  How Much Should You Pay a Criminal Defence Lawyer?
3. Introduction Nobody wishes to be prosecuted for any form of crime but it can happen to everyone. And when it happens, you need to hire a criminal lawyer to take you through this difficult time. Often, the criminal lawyer will assess your case and advise you on the best course of action to take. Most criminal lawyers specialize in legal matters that may be beneficial to your case. However, like any other industry, it is critical to know a little more about what you should expect before entering into any relationship with a lawyer.
4. What Is a Criminal Defence Lawyer? Criminal Defence lawyers are professionals who have been admitted to practice law by the Ontario bar. In other words, they are licensed to practice their profession in the province and the whole of Canada. Specifically, these lawyers act as legal representatives of defendants to help them achieve the best possible outcomes for their cases in various courts.
5. Criminal Defence lawyers will represent you when you are charged with either misdemeanors or felonies—the most popular categories of criminal law. For starters, misdemeanors are criminal charges that are less serious and can result in a fine or less than a year imprisonment. They include prostitution, petty theft, simple assault, trespass, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, reckless driving, possession of marijuana, and vandalism among others.
6. On the other hand, felonies are more serious criminal charges, which may result in more than 1-year imprisonment or a death penalty. Common felony cases include rape, murder, treason, aggravated assault, kidnapping, fraud, robbery, intent to distribute illegal drugs, possession of illegal drugs, and grand larceny among others.
7. What Do Criminal Defence Attorneys Do? Generally, the role of criminal Defence attorneys depends on the circumstance of each case. Contrary to what most people know, these attorneys do much more than just showing up on court to argue with the prosecution and make a case to the jury. They also consult with their clients to discuss the specifics of the case.
8. If you are the defendant, for instance, they will let you know the consequences that you are facing and suggest for you some of the things they can help you achieve. They will only begin working on your case if you choose to hire them. They may then interview eyewitnesses, select witnesses to bring to trial, meet the judge to discuss the case, compile the case and do the necessary research related to the case, or motion to have the case dismissed. So, before your case goes on trial, a criminal attorney does a lot of work on your behalf. And in case your prosecution evidence is stronger and you decide to plead guilty, your Defence attorney will do everything possible get you a good plea deal. For instance, they will opt for out of court settlement, which will get you easier sentence.
9. In case your case goes to trial, your criminal Defence attorney will select the jury and defend you to the best of their abilities. They can attempt to prove your innocence, get you a shorter sentence, lower your charges to a misdemeanor, or get you placed in a better facility. For misdemeanor cases, your attorney will advocate for community service or fines instead of jail time. Put simply, when you hire these attorneys, they do everything they can to ensure that you get the best possible outcome.
10. So, while there is no guarantee that an outcome of a case will be favourable to you, it is important to hire an attorney who understands how the court process works. Hiring a good attorney will boost your chances of winning the case or reducing your sentence.
11. Criminal Defence Lawyer vs. Criminal Defence Attorney: Are They Different? Criminal Defence attorneys are licensed by the bar to represent defendants in court. They are the professionals who will stand by your side and defend you in court. On the other hand, criminal Defence lawyers are educated in the law but aren’t necessarily licensed by the bar. Accordingly, although they can give you legal advice or do some technical legal work for you, they cannot represent you in court. Despite the distinction, the two terms are often used interchangeably. So, if your friends tell you that they know some good criminal Defence lawyers, they are probably talking about attorneys.
12. How Much Should You Pay a Criminal Defence Lawyer? Well, it depends. There is no standard fee that a private criminal Defence attorney will charge you. In Ontario, some attorneys may charge $1000 while others may require you to part with $20,000 or more to access their services. The inconsistencies in cost are due to that the fact that every case is unique and every attorney is different.
13. A highly skilled attorney tends to cost more than a brand new one with little or no experience. However, this doesn’t mean that the most expensive attorney is always the best. You can still find great attorneys in Ontario with reasonable rates. You just need to understand that an attorney’s rate is dictated by experience, reputation, seniority, and skill-level.
14. You case specifics will also affect the cost of your Defence: – A simple misdemeanor case that an attorney can handle in 1-2 days is likely to cost you around $1000 – Several serious felonies require weeks or months of work. As a result, most attorneys in Ontario will charge you by the hour, which may climb to the $20,000+ range in the end. The best way to figure out how much your case will cost is to consult with a particular criminal Defence attorney.
15. Bottom-line There you have it; some of the important basics that you need to know before working with a criminal Defence attorney in Ontario. As you can see, these attorneys are vital if you have been prosecuted for a crime. Always ensure that you hire the best attorney even if that translates into digging into your deeper pockets. The attorneys can save you from a potential jail term, especially if you are innocent. See more at https://crimlawcanada.com/