Posted on January 28, 2022 in Criminal Defense
If you think that you have hired a bad lawyer, it is important to take action as early in your case as possible. The earlier in your case you try to change lawyers, the smoother it will go with the court.
Whether you’re facing charges for DUI, theft, or any other criminal offense, your choice of defense attorney is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. When your future is on the line, you can’t afford to have a bad lawyer. By keeping an eye out for these six red flags that you hired a bad lawyer, hopefully you can spot the issue early and get a new attorney to help you.
The first of the top 6 telltale signs you hired a bad lawyer and how to avoid it in the future is that your lawyer is always too busy to talk. While Phoenix criminal defense lawyers are busy, if your lawyer can NEVER take your calls, or doesn’t call you back within a few hours of your call, it is a big red flag.
Your lawyer should be available to discuss your case with you in great detail. If they have so many clients that they can’t take your call or call you back fairly quickly, they may not have enough time to dedicate to your case. To avoid this in the future, pay attention to how quickly a lawyer gets back to you when you call for an initial consultation. They should get back to you promptly and take the time to speak with you.
The second red flag that you have hired a bad lawyer is that it is always their way or the highway. Your lawyer is there to educate you about what is going on, inform you of your options, and then advise you about each option. They should help you understand the pros and cons of each option. At the end of the day, it is your case, and your decision.
If your attorney is unwilling to do anything besides what they want to do, you may have hired a bad lawyer. In the future, make sure your lawyer listens to what you want and acts accordingly.
Another sign of a bad criminal defense lawyer is one who takes the “meet ‘em and plead ‘em” approach. Lawyers who are too busy to do pretrial motions, investigations, and prepare for trial may push you to take a plea deal very quickly. This can also be a red flag that they are scared to go to trial.
Either way, you deserve to have some pretrial work done on your case before you are encouraged to take a plea deal. Whether this is sending investigators out or arguing motions in court, it is difficult to evaluate a case before some additional work is done. Make sure your lawyer is actually digging into the case and fighting for your rights before they determine a plea deal is actually the best course of action.
To avoid this in the future, ask the lawyer during an initial consultation what their approach is to negotiating plea deals.
Typically when someone is caught up in the criminal justice system, they are going through a traumatic life experience. Wrongful accusations can be incredibly hard on you, and charges typically arise out of very stressful incidents.
Your lawyer should care about your well-being as a person. If you are struggling with addiction issues, they should help you find treatment resources. If you need mental health counseling, they should help you find a service provider. This is a sign of a lawyer who cares. A lawyer who cares will work much harder fighting for you than one who doesn’t.
When your future is on the line, you’re probably more willing to pay more for a good lawyer. But you want your attorney to be honest with you about their fees and you want to be sure you understand the fee structure.
Legal fees are often more than what you might imagine. Cases are often unpredictable and sometimes require additional court appearances, written motions, or fees for hiring experts. But fees should be clearly listed on your bill. Vague charges are a red flag.
The final of our top 6 telltale signs you hired a bad lawyer is that your criminal defense lawyer in Phoenix, AZ never has any answers. If your attorney always answers you by saying, “I’ll look into it,” this can be a sign of two different problems.
First, it can mean they are procrastinating and not getting things done for your defense that need to get done. Second, it can mean they are inexperienced and don’t have any answers. Of course, lawyers do need to look into things. They do need time to send investigators out, and to do legal research.
But if they are always telling you they will look into it, and never have the answers you need, that’s a problem. How long can that game go on? Until the eve of trial? Until you are forced to take a plea deal? At some point you need and deserve some answers! If your lawyer won’t give you the information you are asking for after a couple discussions, it may be time to move on.
For more information, contact the criminal defense attorney Craig Orent. Give us a call at (480) 656-7301 or visit our law office at 11811 N Tatum Blvd UNIT 3031, Phoenix, AZ 85028. We offer a free case evaluation, so get the help you deserve today.
