Minneapolis Criminal Attorneys
March 1, 2021Criminal Defense
March 3, 2021You discover you are currently under federal criminal investigation. You might have been indicted already and have federal criminal charges that you are faced with. How can you find the right federal criminal defense attorney to represent you?
You obviously need to have a criminal defense attorney to help you. Finding a lawyer can be a very stressful and daunting process for many people. It is an even more difficult process when your liberty and life are on the line. In many cases, a good attorney can make the difference between a fair outcome based on the case’s facts and a long prison sentence. The tips below can help you choose the best attorney to represent you in your federal criminal case, as well as the lawyers you should avoid.
First of all, it is essential to hire a lawyer who is an expert on federal criminal law. When you need to have heart surgery, you don’t call on a brain surgeon – even when the brain surgeon is highly accomplished and is recommended by family and friends. Similarly, when you are faced with federal criminal charges or are under investigation for potential federal crimes, then you need to hire a lawyer who has extensive experience with federal criminal law. You definitely don’t need a lawyer who specializes in federal civil litigation, or an attorney who mostly works with state criminal state charges, and you definitely do not want a lawyer who has never been in a federal courthouse.
Why is it essential to hire a lawyer who is an expert in federal criminal law? There are usually higher stakes in federal criminal cases. Usually, federal criminal charges come with big financial penalties, including forfeiture and fines, as well as long statutory maximum sentences. Also, federal prosecutors tend to have very competitive personalities and are motivated to win major cases. And in contrast to their state counterparts, law enforcement agents and federal prosecutors are not burdened with big caseloads and are able to spend significant resources and time working on one investigation or case. Federal judges also expect attorneys on both sides to be fully prepared and do not tolerate any long delays. These reasons all result in federal investigations and cases needing to have an attorney who is thoroughly knowledgeable of the federal criminal process and can work within the process on a daily basis.
Therefore, when selecting an attorney to work on your federal criminal case and represent you, it is essential for you to be aware of the expertise of your attorney. Ask the lawyer some of these questions: how often does work in federal court? When did he appear in a federal court last, and on what type of case? How many sentencing hearings has the attorney had in federal court? How many trials has the lawyer had in federal court?