Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney: If you have been charged with a crime.

If you have been charged with a crime, whether it be a felony or misdemeanor, I would suggest the most important thing to do is take your time. That appears to be a little bit of unusual advise because when you are facing jail time or fines or whatever community service might by imposed, you seem to want to move as fast as you can. The mistake that is often made is hiring an attorney too quickly without properly researching who you are hiring.

You want to look at an attorney's trial litigation record, because more often than not, a good attorney will presume that they are taking this case to trial from the very outset of the first meeting. Most attorneys do nothing more than plea bargain a case at the first or second appearance. So, you want to hire an attorney who is good at litigating cases and enjoys litigating cases.

That's one of the reasons that our firm has a high success rates with its clients, because we do believe that every case is meant for trial. Although some cases don't end up going that far, we prepare for trial from the first day. From the first interview we look at witnesses, statements, police detectives. If you are charged with a crime the very first and most important thing you need do is take your time and make sure you hire the right attorney.

You are also going to be solicited by law enforcement to make a statement. Inevitably, our advice is always don't make that statement. At least consult an attorney first. Sometimes it can be advantageous to cooperate with the police, particular in an effort to get the case dismissed. More often than not, the most important thing to do is to consult an attorney, take your time and hire the right attorney. Don't fall for the catchy slogans or the mail you may get after you are arrested, or the cute website names or the advertisements on the radio. Meet with the attorney. Get a gut feeling about their skills, and their experience. Is this the person you want by your side each and every step of the case. That is the most important thing to do if you are arrested for a felony or a misdemeanor.