If you are arrested, the process is just beginning, not just ending. Getting the right legal help can make the difference between a hiccup in your routine and a major life change, and the public defender system is typically strained when it comes to lawyers that are available for those who can not afford one. Whenever possible, an attorney who has the private practice experience in criminal law related to your case is the best bet. At the very least, a general defense attorney you hire will have a lower case load, and since you can shop around, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t be able to find the one with the most relevant experience in your area.
Understand Options and Negotiate
One of the biggest reasons that experienced defense attorneys are so valuable is their connections. Criminal attorneys in Columbia MD know the judges and attorneys in the prosecutor’s office, so they know what negotiating tactics work and how to find the point where they can make the best deal or the strongest argument in your favor. They’ve also got the eyes-on experience to have a good understanding of the different ways a trial could go based on local laws and the judge’s history. There are no certainties in a courtroom, but experience gives your attorney the benefit of knowing the statistical likelihoods.
Find the Best Resolution Available
Prosecutors don’t like to lose or to dismiss charges, but they really don’t like to sink resources into a case they can’t win. Often, finding the resolution that works for you and them is a matter of making the case that excessive charges will involve sinking resources into the case that they could put toward other, more pressing issues. It’s not always how things break, but in many situations, an experienced attorney can tell exactly how far to push before the other side decides they are in it for the long haul, as well as how to get them to back down when they’re only going to drag out the process of losing.