They say that timing is everything in life, and that sentiment holds true in the event that you need to hire a lawyer. Bringing a lawyer into the fold at the right time can have a positive effect on your criminal case, whereas waiting too long can further complicate matters. So that begs the question, “when should I hire a defense lawyer.” We answer that question and more in today’s blog.
When To Hire A Lawyer
When we say “when should you hire a lawyer,” we’re talking about when throughout the course of your case should you bring them aboard. Whether or not you hire a lawyer depends on a number of case-specific factors, so in this instance, “when” is used in relation to where along the process from start to finish should a lawyer enter the picture.
We’ll give reasons as to why this is the case below, but the short and simple answer to that question is – You should hire a lawyer as soon as possible during your criminal case. Here’s just a few reasons why earlier is better when it comes to legal representation.
1. More Services – For starters, your lawyer will be able to assist with more legal matters the sooner they are brought onto your case. They may be able to provide general legal advice before your arrest, assist in your release from jail after you’ve been charged or deal with all of the necessary pre and post-trial matters that come with a court case. Waiting to hire a lawyer means you miss out on some of their professional services.
2. More Time To Prepare – The more time that your lawyer has to investigate your case and prepare a defense, the better. In fact, some lawyers may turn down your case if you try to bring them onboard too late in the process. We understand that you want to review all your options and potentially consider different law firms, but make this one of your first steps after an arrest. If it’s clear you’d benefit from representation, hire a professional early in the process.
3. No Such Thing As Too Soon – When it comes to hiring a defense lawyer, there’s no such thing as hiring one too early, but you can certainly hire one too late. There’s really no downside to hiring a lawyer right after your arrest, but there are plenty of downsides to waiting to hire one or opting to forgo legal representation.
4. Less Stress – Having a criminal case hanging over your head can be stressful, but the sooner you hire a lawyer, the sooner you can alleviate some of this stress. Knowing that your defense is in good hands and that matters are being performed professionally and correctly can help give you some peace of mind during an uncertain time of your life. When you know that you’re doing everything you can to work towards an ideal outcome for a court case, you can take a lot of stress out of your criminal matter.
At the end of the day, you owe it to yourself and your lawyer to make sure you have enough time to build a credible defense, and the best way to do that is by bringing a lawyer into the fold as soon as possible. We’ll do everything we can to build a strong defense for your case, but the more time we have to do this, the better.
To bring us onto your team or to learn more about the value we can add to your case, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
