Americans are looking for legal advice in increasing numbers. Nearly 50% of us are open to visiting websites to get advice from websites monitored by attorneys. Approximately 44% admit to checking different lawyers? websites for information. This could be because arrests for certain offenses on the rise. Each year more than 1.4 million people get their first Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrest. Worry over legal fees prevents many people from finding good legal representation.
The problem is that if you have been arrested for anything, you need a lawyer. You cannot let the fear of legal bills keep you from seeking out legal representation. If you really cannot afford a lawyer, you can look info prepaid legal insurance companies. Legal insurance helps pay for a lawyer in an attorney network much the same way health insurance pays for doctors within a network. It covers the legal fees associated with your case. Legal insurance can be used for all sorts of legal issues including criminal law, estate planning and family law.
When you do g to look for a criminal attorney, here are some tips to find the right one.
- Draft up a budget. Decide what you can spend on legal fees with or without legal insurance.
- Ask friends and family for recommendations. Given the number of people who are arrested every day, the chances are good that you know someone who either has been arrested or knows someone who has. They also have most likely needed legal representation for their case. They may have recommendations for good lawyers or advice about lawyers you should avoid. They will also be able to give you an idea of what kind of legal fees they paid.
- Look for lawyers who specialize in your kind of case. Just like doctors, lawyers specialize. If you were charged with a DUI, you do not want an attorney who only handles divorce cases or even a criminal defense lawyer who deals only with forcible rape or manslaughter. You want an attorney who has handled a lot of DUI cases.
- Spend time looking into your lawyer?s background. Do some research on their background. What is their track record like? What do other clients say about them? Take some time to interview them and ask about the cases they have handled and their legal fees. Ask what legal associations they belong to. Find out about their educational background.
- Take advantage of the free first session. Most law firms will allow prospective clients to come in and have one free consultation to discuss the case and find out what legal fees will be associated with it. Lawyers base their legal fees on how complicated a case is.
Finding a lawyer is a personal thing in a lot of ways. You have to totally trust this person because you are going to have to be completely honest with them and if you cannot do that, you have to find someone else.