What to Look for in a Baltimore Criminal Defense Lawyer
You went out with your buddies or you made a mistake one night and now you’ve been charged with a crime or traffic violation and you don’t know what to do now. The Law Offices of G. Randolph Rice, Jr., LLC, is a Baltimore, Maryland based criminal defense & DUI / DWI defense law firm and we have compiled 5 things to look for in a Criminal Lawyer: Baltimore, Maryland.
If you have been charged with a crime, DUI, DWI, or traffic violation in Maryland, contact the Law Offices of G. Randolph Rice, Jr., LLC, at (410) 431-0911 for immediate legal help and to schedule a free consultation.
- May sure you hire a lawyer that handles criminal cases on a regular basis. You wouldn’t hire a foot doctor to look at your hand, so make sure you hire a lawyer that handles criminal cases for your criminal case. If the lawyer is a tax attorney and he says he/she can help you, odds are that he/she doesn’t know the best course of action for your criminal or traffic charges. A criminal lawyer is usually in Court daily and the Judges and State’s Attorney know that attorney by his/her first name. That may be the advantage in your case, if the case could go either way, don’t you want the lawyer is going to receive the favorable result because he/she knows the Judge or State’s Attorney.
- Check how many criminal and traffic cases the lawyer has entered his appearance on in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. This is the Maryland Judiciary search site for all cases in the District and Circuit Court. Enter the lawyer’s last name and first name or initial and then select “attorney” in party type. As an example, enter “Rice” for the last name and “G” for the first name and “R” for the middle name and select “attorney” for party type. You will be able to see how many cases attorney G. Randolph Rice, Jr., has handled and what types of cases he has handled. Look for a lawyer that has 5-10 cases each month, that is who you want handling your case.
- Get personal references. If you have friends that have been arrested or charged with a crime, ask them who they used and if they were happy with their attorney. This can be one of the best sources of information. A lawyer does not have a win – loss percentage, because each case is unique, a win may be a dismissal or a shorter jail sentence.
- Online Reputation. Check online references and blog entries. If the lawyer doesn’t have a website, it probably means he/she is not very motivated. This also goes back to item 1. If the lawyer’s website lists their areas of practice and criminal/DUI/DWI is at the bottom of their areas of practice, you probably want to go to another lawyer. If the lawyer has a sharp and crisp website, it probably means the lawyer has taken the time to improve his business and that will show itself in their representation of you.
- Personality of the lawyer. This is why it is so important to sit down with the lawyer and get a good feel for his/her style and personality. You want to hire a lawyer that you feel comfortable with and you feel confident is looking out for your rights and freedoms. A lawyer that is confident and can answer all of your questions is invaluable. There is no lawyer that can predict exactly what will happen in your case. You want a lawyer that will give you all of the options and provide you with an explanation of what you should do in each situation.
If you have a criminal, DUI, DWI, or traffic ticket case in the Baltimore area; Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Harford County, Howard County, or Anne Arundel County, contact attorney G. Randolph Rice, Jr., with the Law Offices of G. Randolph Rice, Jr., LLC, at (410) 431-0911 or email the office for immediate legal help.
Attorney G. Randolph Rice, Jr., has been selected as a Super Lawyer – Rising Star as well as one of the Best Criminal Defense & DUI/DWI Lawyers in Baltimore by CitySpur.