A Guide to Criminal Lawyers

A Guide to Criminal Lawyers

By Kristy Annely

Criminal lawyers are people who specialize in handling criminal cases with implications such as arson, DUI, murder, theft, etc. The primary roles of criminal lawyers are to review evidences and to map-out an effective defense strategy. Criminal lawyers either work as defense lawyers or prosecutors. Criminal lawyers will represent the accused, advice the client on legal matters, and assist in the framing of legal documents such as contracts, wills, etc. In extreme situations, a professional lawyer may negotiate with the prosecution lawyer to mete out charges and punishments in an equitable manner. Whether it is defense or prosecution, criminal lawyers can utilize government statistics and other official documents at any phase of the case. The laws governing criminal lawyers vary from state to state, but a basic code law is observed all over the United States. The criminal lawyer’s office will take up the responsibility of meeting the clients, arranging court dates, carrying out background researches of cases, etc.

In addition to educational requirements, criminal lawyers must possess certain qualities such as good communication and listening skills, organizing capabilities, public speaking skills, ability to handle complex criminal cases, and to deal with people from all backgrounds. Since criminal cases would involve a lot of paper work for trials and criminal proceedings and so criminal lawyers should also possess writing skills. The salary of criminal lawyers will depend upon the jurisdiction and the nature of the case.

Criminal lawyers generally work for people who are accused of felonies such as murder, assault, family violence, embezzlement, etc. Since criminal consequences may include fines, imprisonment, mandatory treatment, and probations, it is always advisable to hire criminal lawyers with adequate expertness and experience in the field. Various resources are available to find competent and experienced criminal lawyers. The public defender's office in your county will also be able to suggest competent criminal lawyers for you.

Another way of finding expert criminal lawyers are observing public sessions when criminal cases are being held in the court. Professional legal organizations are also an excellent source of finding a criminal lawyer. Offices of organizations such as National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) in your region will be able to provide lists of competent lawyers in your area. Some organizations offer referral services even through Internet. Additionally, the service of local bar associations can be utilized to gather information on perspective criminal lawyers such as how much experience particular criminal lawyers has in this field. Other sources to find proficient lawyers are telephone directories, yellow pages, and newspapers.