Hiring a New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer
No two cases are exactly the same. No matter how intelligent you may be or how many degrees you may possess, it is virtually impossible to successfully represent yourself in a criminal case in The State of New Jersey. This is why people chose to hire the lawyers at New Jersey criminal defense firms like The Blanch Law Firm. Only an experienced and dedicated New Jersey criminal defense attorney can assess the specifics and analyze the numerous possible outcomes of every case. Being able to understand this information and convey it coherently back to their clients is a key skill for all criminal defense lawyers who seek to get the best result possible for their clients.
If you are hiring a New Jersey criminal defense attorney, you want to hire the best one available. Hiring the best criminal defense attorney available can be expensive at times, but you get what you pay for. Many defendants make the error of thinking that the threats against them are not serious or worse that they can continue to make money and protect their family while they are in jail. There is no real use for money while you are serving a multi-year jail sentence unless you are incredibly fond of what they are selling in the commissary. If you have a criminal case in New Jersey being heard before either The State or Federal Courts and face the possibility of a lengthy jail term, it is certainly not the time to penny-pinch.
If you are unable to afford the services of a criminal defense attorney, the court will appoint one to serve in your defense. In some cases that may be a good thing and in some cases that may not be a good thing. There are many skilled attorneys that work in the legal aid programs, or Federal CJA program, but you cannot choose which one you get and once you are assigned on you cannot switch if you are unsatisfied. Public defenders have caseloads that are vastly larger than those of a private criminal attorney; the result of this is that they do not have as much time to devote to their clients and their clients’ families. Many times, defendants will feel pressure from their public defender to take a plea because that attorney will have to expedite a portion of their caseload and cannot dedicate the time to get their clients the best result possible.
Likewise, it is equally important that when you decide to hire a criminal defense lawyer you do so in a well informed and rational manner. You need to feel comfortable with the attorney who is representing you. It is important that you have a good relationship with them and feel like you can open up and tell them the truth when you are speaking with them. This is the best way to ensure that your attorney will go the extra mile for you, stay up all night researching case law, filter through boxes and boxes of evidence for the 7th time just to make sure that nothing that can be used to help your case is overlooked.
Why You Should Hire The Best The First Time
In the past, many prospective clients have come to us furious with the attorney that they have already hired because they heard from a friend that their attorney was a former prosecutor, or had a relationship with the judge, prosecutor, police chief, or arresting officer. Social relationships have very little, if not no positive effect on the ability of an attorney to secure a good result for their client. While spending time in a prosecutor’s office is a great way to gain invaluable experience, there is a large amount of turnover in those offices; so, the odds of any attorney being able to game the system based on their previous position diminish rapidly after they leave that office.
Sometimes, clients will contact the firm wanting to fire their attorney because they feel like their attorney is not doing a good job for them. That may very well be the case (especially in the case where you decided to retain a “discount lawyer”), but it is foolish to hire another attorney because you do not like the deal that you are facing and you expect to get a better one with a new lawyer. The judge and prosecutor will both see that you have fired your previous counsel and will not offer any new deal that is different unless your new attorney is able to find things that your previous one couldn’t.
The Blanch Law Firm Can Help
Hiring a criminal defense lawyer is very serious process that should not be rushed through. You should be very wary of any attorney that offers you a promise or guarantee about the result that they can get for you. Regardless of the attorney that you choose you should make sure that they are one that you feel comfortable with and confident they will get the best result possible for you. The attorneys at The Blanch Law firm are dedicated to their clients and have a history of success. Contact our offices today to schedule a consultation and start the fight to protect your rights.
[1] Case results.