Sunday, April 12, 2009

6 Steps to Finding an Englewood Criminal Defense Attorney

If you or your friend has been, unfortunately, charged with a crime, do not panic. Often the unthinkable happens in life and in such times, it is necessary to keep your cool. Even if you are not in a position to hire an Englewood criminal defense attorney, you are eligible to seek the legal assistance of a public defender. But, in order to make sure that you hire a Englewood criminal defense lawyer, you should follow the following six steps:

1) Make a list of all the Denver Lawyers who provide service in your locality. You can make this list easily by going through the online lawyer listings, such as the one provided at ColoradAttorneySearch.com, by checking with the attorney referral services, or by asking friends who have had need of a Englewood defense attorney before. Once the list is prepared, narrow it down to about ten or so. In case, you do not find lawyers in your locality, try searching in other areas closest to you. For instance, if your place of residence is in Englewood, you can consider the listings of lawyers in Denver.
2) After short listing a few candidates, get down to their particulars, like area of specialization, reputation, experience, and cases won by them in the past. Most Englewood lawyers list these details on their websites. So, be it a Denver lawyer or a Denver law firm, make sure you collect all the required details before approaching them. These particulars will help you hire a lawyer who has expertise in the area of crime in which you have been charged.
3) Also, using a popular search engine, get hold of some legal articles and court records relating to the lawyers or the law firms you are taking into consideration. After an extensive research, you will certainly be able to short list 3-4 trustworthy criminal defense lawyers, who have a proven track record and good experience in the required area of specialization.
4) Next, consult the state bar association's website to find out which lawyer has a better standing in the courts in your locality.
5) While dealing with a case, it is very necessary to be able to build a good communication with your attorney. Therefore, make sure the attorney you are considering understands the language you are comfortable in.
6) Finally, after you narrow down your list to 1-2 Englewood lawyers, get an appointment fixed with each one of them. Meeting face to face will help you judge if you would have a cordial and practicable relationship with your lawyer. When you go to meet the lawyer, ensure that the lawyer's office staff is professional and skilled as you will have to deal with them directly a number of times in future.
Following each of the above six steps might take a little time, but will definitely help you choose the best Englewood criminal defense attorney to handle your case. Trust my words, the time spent in research will surely be worth it.

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