One question a lot of defendant's face is: "Should I hire a private lawyer or just go with a public defender?" Then, they find themselves asking the following: "What's the difference between the two? What advantage would a private attorney give me over a public defender?"
These are very important questions to ask yourself if you are ever charged with a crime. Naturally you would want the best representation possible; right? But, I know you also want to know ... is it worth paying money to an experienced Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney when a public defender is free?
Public Defender or Private Lawyer?
To begin with, once the public defender's case load is always very large, and he/she likely has a very limited amount of time to give to each case because of the volume of matter he/she has.
Public defenders work with the prosecutors to resolve each case as quickly as possible. Because of the huge demand on their time, it is reasonable to conclude that defendants do not always get the best representation or defense for their cases --- ture? Having had beena prosecutor myself, before becoming a Minnesota Criminal Defense Attorney, I have personally observed many defendants get upset and frustrated becasue their public defender has no time to return phone calls, refuse to prepare a suppression motion, do a preliminary hearing, or take their case to trial, because they don't have the time.
A Private Attorney is somone who is hired by a defendant to represent them in court. Private attorney's have much smaller case loads, thus they have more time to work on a case, interview witnesses, investigate and meet with the client, even return phone calls.
Hiring a private attorney allows you to shop around, get referrals, research which lawyer has experience in criminal law, and which one is a general attorney, knowing a little bit about a lot of different areas. Most private attorneys will allow you to come into their office for a free initial consultation. This way, you can find out how experienced the attorney is, his or her feelings about your case, and the fee you would be charged.
The saying "You get what you pay for" is often very true when hiring an attorney. The more experience, the better the representation and defense. If you are charged with a crime, give me a call. You don't want to chance your future with anyone else.
Have more questions about whether you should hire a lawyer? Please feel free to calI the Rolloff Law Office to set-up a FREE CONSULTATION --- call: (612) 234-1165.
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