Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers Blog
You can always choose to represent yourself in a Los Angeles Criminal Case. The court will inform you of your right to counsel, they will also inform you that if you cannot hire an attorney, one will be provided to you at low cost or not cost. This is because the criminal justice system is complicated, with a plethora of laws, rules, and procedures. If you choose to represent yourself, you are expected to know all of these laws, just as an attorney would. This is why the Court specifically informs each and every person of their rights to counsel.
Representing yourself in a criminal case is rarely a good idea. Our firm has first hand experiences of clients who have opted to begin their case by representing themselves, but then coming to us to “fix” what has happened.
A criminal case can be a very serious situation, in which it can impact your future livelihood, education and even your reputation in your community. That is why we provide excellent representation to minimize the effects of your case on your life.
If you do determine to have an attorney represent you, you have two options. You can hire a private Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney with years of experience, such as those working diligently at our firm, or you can hire a Public Defender.
Public defenders are employees of the government, and are appointed to you on a cost scale based on your income. Although many public defenders are excellent attorneys, with lots of knowledge and experience, they have a significant amount of cases any given day and do not always get the chance to meet with you before your court date. This often gives many people anxiety, as they have not spoken to their lawyer beforehand, they do not know what to expect, and may not get too much time to ask what they need to.
A private Criminal Defense lawyer in Los Angeles has the ability to choose and accept the clients they want to, and have the time to represent. As a result, your criminal defense attorney is not inundated with a lot of cases, and has the time to dedicate to your case specifically. They have time to review the reports beforehand, speak to witnesses, review the scene, and talk to you at length about your options and defenses. They have plenty of time to prepare their arguments and their evidence.
A criminal charge can be serious. It can have long term consequences on your life. Do not take a chance on something like that. Many of our clients are eager and in a rush to get their case completed, but it cannot be rushed. You need to carefully evaluate all of the options, and make a decision that is in your best interest. With a private Criminal Defense lawyer, you get the benefit of time, and preparation so that you know exactly what is going on with your case, and can proceed with an educated perspective.