How to Choose a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Getting charged with a crime can be one of the most difficult moments of your life. From one moment to the next, you start to worry about securing your release and clearing your name. The prospect of incarceration or damage to your personal and professional reputation can feel overwhelming. 

No matter the charges you’re facing, you have the right to robust legal counsel. At The Law Offices of Jeff C. Kennedy, we understand there’s a big difference between being charged with a crime, and being a criminal—and we can fight to help you clear your name of all charges. 

Read on to learn more about choosing a Fort Worth criminal defense lawyer. 

Questions to Ask a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal defense lawyers are attorneys that defend and counsel those who have been accused of a crime. These lawyers work as your legal representatives in court. They also help you prepare relevant documents and investigate the background of your case to build a strong defense. 

When you’ve been charged with a crime, it’s important to understand this issue isn’t just going to go away. Your freedom, reputation, and livelihood is at stake, and you need to take swift action if you’re going to clear your name and resume your normal existence in civil society. 

That’s why priority number one should always be linking up with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can give you the best chance of achieving a desirable outcome. 

Many criminal defense lawyers offer free consultations. Some of the questions you may consider asking a lawyer include:

• How long they have been practicing law
• Whether they have defended similarly charged individuals in the past
• About your legal options
• Best and worst-case scenario outcomes for your case
• About the lawyer’s fee structure 

Ideally, you could find an attorney with experience working on the same types of cases for which you are facing charges. Additionally, it can be a good sign if the attorney belongs to any professional associations. 

Charges that a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Fight

Electing to retain the services of an attorney with experience representing and defending clients from the same charges you’re facing can be a boon for your confidence. 

Criminal defense attorneys may dedicate themselves to a more general practice, or they may choose to work solely in one preferred practice area. 

An experienced criminal defense attorney should be able to help you defend yourself from the following charges:

• Violent crimes
• Drug crimes
• Sex crimes
• Shoplifting/theft
• DUI/DWI
• Computer-based crimes

Can I Represent Myself?

Although it is within your legal rights to waive your rights to representation, it is highly inadvisable. Criminal defense lawyers have years of experience and training that can go a long way toward getting you a more favorable outcome—whether that means a reduced sentence, a plea deal, or even getting a prosecutor to drop all charges. 

You can run into similar roadblocks when you decide to allow the court to appoint a public defender to your case. Public defenders, while indeed many of them are talented, are also too overloaded with cases to give your case the level of attention and research a private criminal defense lawyer can. 

For these reasons, many people just like you facing criminal charges elect to consult an experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. 

Contact a Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you’ve been arrested and charged with a crime, it can be one of the worst days of your life. Fortunately, an experienced criminal defense lawyer with The Law Offices of Jeff C. Kennedy can give you a fighting chance. 

Why not get started with a free consultation today? Call us at 817-605-1010 or fill out the form below.