If you have been charged with a crime and need to hire an attorney to help you, it is important to get one that has experience with the charges you are facing. Hiring a family lawyer to defend you against drug charges is not a good idea, and in most cases, the lawyer would not take the case.
Find a Criminal Attorney
The best place to start looking for a criminal law attorney is in your local area. You may want to use the internet to narrow down the choices and find lawyers in your area that take cases like yours. Once you have found a few that you think are a good fit, contact them and see if you can get in for a consultation.
You may not be able to get in to see every lawyer on your list, and the ones with large caseloads may tell you they can't see you at all. Don't be discouraged by that. If they are that busy, your case may not get the attention it deserves anyway. Move on and check with the next attorney on your list.
Consulting With the Attorney
Once you find an attorney that you feel is a good fit and is willing to sit down and discuss your case, schedule a consultation with the lawyer. During the consultation, you need to disclose any information that is relevant to your case. The lawyer cannot defend you if you hide things from them, so be honest. The consultation is covered by attorney/client privilege, so anything you tell them is going to stay between you and them.
Working With the Attorney
After you hire an attorney, you need to let them take control of the case and get you through the process. If they can get your charges dropped, they will but if not, working with the lawyer to find ways to reduce the charges or mount an effective defense is critical.
Letting the attorney run the case does not mean you can't tell them you don't want a plea bargain or something they recommend, but it does mean they can file motions and talk with the district attorney without having to come to you every time before they make a decision. If you are not happy with the attorney's performance, you can change attorneys and start again. However, they may not delay your court date, and it could leave you with a lawyer that is not properly prepared to defend you, so try to stick with the first attorney unless there is a major issue between you and them.
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