Preparing for a Consultation with a Criminal Defense Attorney
- Posted on: Jan 21 2023
If you have recently been charged with a crime, you are probably experiencing a wide range of emotions, including fear, anger, and confusion. Fortunately, when you hire an experienced criminal defense attorney, you can alleviate some of the stress associated with being a criminal defendant. The first step in hiring an attorney is scheduling an initial consultation to discuss your case. In this article, we explain how to prepare for a consultation with a criminal defense attorney in Virginia.
Gather Relevant Documents
The first thing to do before you meet with a criminal defense attorney is gather documents that are relevant to your case. Documents that tend to be relevant to criminal proceedings include:
- Documentation of any prior arrests, charges, or convictions
- Police reports
- Indictments
- Misdemeanor complaints
- Felony complaints
- Bail paperwork
- Property search documents
- Court date information
- Evidence, such as text messages, photos, videos, emails, and voicemails
Write Down What Happened in Chronological Order
Next, you should create a narrative of the things that took place before, during, and after the event in question. When doing so, you should include as many details as possible, including times, dates, addresses, vehicle makes and models, and descriptions and names of all people involved.
Create a List of Witnesses
A key element of any criminal case is witnesses. Therefore, you should create a witness list that includes the name and contact information of each witness. In addition, you should describe your relationship, if any, with each witness. You should also provide the attorney with any information on people who may have evidence that could harm your case.
Write Down Questions for the Attorney
Finally, although the attorney you meet with will have plenty of questions for you, a consultation is also an opportunity for you to ask your prospective attorney questions. Examples of good questions to ask during a consultation with a criminal defense attorney include:
- Will you personally be handling my case?
- How long have you been an attorney?
- How long have you practiced criminal law?
- Have you handled cases similar to mine?
- What results have you gotten in cases like mine?
- What percentage of your cases go to trial?
- What are the strengths of my case?
- What are the weaknesses of my case?
- How long will my case take to conclude?
- How much do you charge?
Contact a Virginia Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you have been charged with a crime in Virginia, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney in your corner. At Walker Jones, PC, our knowledgeable attorneys will aggressively defend you against your criminal charges. When you become our client, we will guide you through the criminal law process while doing everything in our power to obtain a successful result in your case. Please contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.
Posted in: Criminal Defense
