Below is a transcript of the Manning & Crouch presentation, Ten Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Slide 1: Ten Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Slide 2: Hiring a criminal defense lawyer may be one of the most important decisions you will ever make.

Slide 3: To help you make the correct decision, during your first meeting, you should ask the lawyer the questions in this presentation.

Slide 4: When you first schedule the meeting, ask if it is a free consultation and how long it will last. Some lawyers offer free consultations and some do not.

Slide 5: If you do not understand the answers you receive, continue to ask until you do. Good lawyers will take the time to make sure you understand their answers.

Slide 6: Are you a highly rated member of the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Network? Martindale-Hubbard is a legal network that provides ratings of its members. The ratings reflect a lawyer's legal ability and professional ethics, and also reflect the confidential opinions of attorneys and judges.

Slide 7: Have you handled cases similar to mine? You should hire a lawyer who has had experience in handling cases like yours. Ask the attorney for examples of such cases.

Slide 8: How much do you charge? An attorney will be able to give you only an estimate of the total charge, based on the information you provide. Some attorneys charge by the hour and some charge a flat fee. Your lawyer should clearly explain how and when he or she is paid and exactly what that will cover and what extra charges there may be. This information should be in writing when you agree to hire the lawyer.

Slide 9: How long will it take for you to respond to my phone calls? Your lawyer should tell you generally how long it takes to respond, such as one or more days, and whether the paralegal or other staff will return your calls.

Slide 10: How often will I get progress reports? It is your right to know what is going on with your case and whether or not there are any new developments. Your lawyer should be able to give you an idea of how often you will be informed, such as weekly or every other week.

Slide 11: Do you require that I pay you a retainer fee? A retainer fee is simply a fee paid in advance. Retainers are often collected by attorneys as a “down payment” on expected costs and attorney fees. As the attorney uses the retainer, additional fees will most likely be requested. Before you pay a retainer, make sure that your attorney first gives you an estimate of the total expected cost.

Slide 12: How long will my case last? Your attorney should be able to give you a general time estimate, based upon similar cases. Ask for a timetable of typical events, such as court appearances and decisions. Delays in the court system are quite common, and so your lawyer will be able to give you only an estimate of how long it may take.

Slide 13: What types of decisions will I need to make? Once hired, your lawyer should tell you what your legal options are and what the results may be, based on the option you choose. You have the right to make all important decisions affecting the outcome of your case.

Slide 14: Will you handle everything or should I help? Whether you help or not depends upon the arrangement that you make with your lawyer. Some clients help by identifying witnesses for the lawyer to interview or by gathering papers and other evidence. When you have hired the lawyer, you should give as many details as possible about your case, even if you feel the information may be harmful or is not important.

Slide 15: What happens if I want a new lawyer? By hiring a highly rated lawyer, you reduce your chances of getting into a situation in which you no longer want to work with that lawyer. Nevertheless, in your agreement, you should make sure it includes details about what happens if one of you no longer wants to do business with the other. What amount of advance notice is needed? What will you owe? What needs to happen?

Slide 16: It’s very important that you trust and feel comfortable with your lawyer. A good lawyer will represent you with enthusiasm and competence, will keep your confidence and secrets which you reveal as the client, and will deal with you honestly.

Slide 17: Hire a lawyer only if: You feel comfortable with him or her. You understand and are satisfied with the answers given to you.

Slide 18: For more information, visit: ManningCrouch.com

Slide 19: This has been a presentation of Manning & CrouchAttorneys at Law Raleigh, North Carolina The presentation was developed by NewsBuzz.com