Questions to Ask Your Criminal Defense Lawyer

You’ve just been charged with committing a criminal offense in Florida. Regardless of the complexity or severity of your charges, you likely have many questions to ask criminal defense lawyers, such as:

• What did I do to deserve these charges?
• What will happen to my family, job, and reputation?
• How long will my case take?
• Should I take a plea deal or fight the charge?

It’s natural to have lots of questions about your case, your rights, and your future, and you deserve accurate and honest answers to these and other concerns. The best place to get them is from a proven Florida criminal defense lawyer from Taracks & Associates.

What Questions to Ask Your Attorney and When to Ask Them

Start Asking Questions as Soon as You Meet with Your Attorney

You can (and should) begin asking your criminal defense attorney questions as early as your initial case consultation. Experienced defense lawyers often offer these meetings to gather important facts about prospective clients’ cases, address any pressing concerns they may have, and provide information about how they would go about combating certain charges.

 

Once you retain an attorney, you can expect more in-depth meetings as they gather facts about your charges and the allegations surrounding them, the sequence of events that led to your arrest, and evidence and witnesses that might be available to support your position. These subsequent meetings also provide an excellent opportunity to ask your lawyer questions about your case.

There will likely be several court hearings before the end of your case. A skilled criminal defense attorney will meet with you before these hearings to advise you on what you can expect at each one. Your lawyer can also debrief you after each hearing to make sure you understand what happened, what it means for your case, and what steps to take next.

If you have questions at other times, your attorney should be responsive to your inquiries, even if they fall outside of regular business hours. Depending on the urgency of the matter, your lawyer might schedule a meeting with you to handle it right away. If the issue isn’t pressing, they might wait until your next scheduled hearing or meeting to discuss what’s on your mind.

What to Ask Your Criminal Defense Lawyer

The specific questions you ask your attorney will be as unique as your individual situation and the details of your criminal case. However, most questions generally fall into one of the following five categories:

• Charges and potential consequences
• Courtroom expectations
• Pretrial release
• Defense strategy
• Trial and beyond.

One set of questions defendants commonly have is about the nature of their charges and the penalties they might face if they’re convicted. The list of possible consequences for a criminal conviction can include civil and administrative penalties, such as a suspension of driving privileges or an order to pay restitution.

Clients charged with crimes also frequently have questions about the court hearings that will be held and what will happen at those hearings. Because procedures and norms can vary from court to court and judge to judge, even those who have faced charges before will often wonder what to anticipate.

One universal concern that all individuals arrested on criminal charges have is whether they can be released from jail pending their trial date. Whether a person is eligible for release depends on numerous factors, including the charges they’re facing, a judge’s assessment of their risk of non-appearance in court, and the danger they present to the community.

Although people charged with crimes don’t need to prove their innocence, seasoned criminal defense lawyers will still put together a plan for responding to their clients’ charges. In some cases, they might try to suppress illegally obtained evidence. In others, they might present an alibi. It’s crucial that the attorney and the client agree on the strategy.

Finally, although many criminal cases are resolved by plea agreement, the client has the right to take their case to trial. This is a weighty decision that only the client can make, and numerous questions might arise about the benefits and risks of each option. Defendants may also have questions about the impact a trial or a plea will have on their lives in the future.

Contact Taracks & Associates at 813-281-2897 today to schedule your free case review and get reliable answers to your most pressing questions about your criminal charges.

10 Questions to Ask Criminal Defense Lawyers

When you work with a defense attorney, you’ll tell them what outcomes you’d like to see in your case, and they’ll make tactical decisions to achieve those ends. The only way to get the information you need to make realistic and informed decisions regarding the direction of your case is by asking target questions.

However, some people who have never faced criminal charges might not know what to ask. With that in mind, here are 10 solid questions you can use to spark a useful discussion with your criminal defense lawyer:

1. What Charges and Penalties Am I Facing?

The local prosecutor has the final say over the charges filed against you, which means the offenses the police accused you of when they arrested you might not be the charges the prosecutor is pursuing. Begin by asking your attorney to explain the charges against you and the possible penalties you could face for them.

2. How Much Experience Do You Have Defending Clients With Similar Charges?

Before you decide to retain a particular attorney, take some time to get to know their background. You want to choose a criminal defense attorney with ample experience successfully resolving cases like yours through plea agreements and trials. If you don’t feel like an attorney’s background would make them a good fit to represent you, keep searching for a different attorney.

3. Can I Get Out of Jail?

If you’re arrested and taken to jail, you have the right to request that the court set reasonable conditions of pretrial release. Getting out of jail can allow you to keep your home and job while you wait for your case to resolve. Ask your lawyer what concerns the prosecutor and judge have about letting you out of jail so you can formulate a plan to address those worries.

4. What Should I Do Now That I’ve Been Charged?

Although you’ll be presumed innocent of any charges until you’re proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, being charged will likely affect your day-to-day life. Your attorney can advise you on what to do and not to do, such as avoiding contact with the alleged victim or temporarily surrendering any firearms you may have in your possession.

5. What Court Hearings Should I Expect?

Even simple misdemeanor cases will usually prompt at least two or three court hearings that you may need to appear for. Ask your criminal defense attorney to explain the trajectory your case may follow and what you can expect at each of the court hearings. Your lawyer can also give you an idea of how long your case will take to conclude.

6. What Is Likely to Happen if I’m Convicted?

Just because your charges are punishable by 20 or more years in prison, this doesn’t necessarily mean that will be the outcome. The sentence you receive if convicted could be less, depending on your prior criminal history, any mitigating evidence in your favor, and whether you accept a plea deal. Knowing the likely results of your charges can help you make better decisions.

7. What Defense Strategies Are Available in My Case?

The defense strategies available in your case could affect your decision to accept a plea offer or proceed to trial. In any given Florida criminal case, you may be able to defend yourself by:

• Challenging the admissibility of illegally obtained evidence
• Discrediting witnesses the prosecution calls to support their case
• Providing a credible alibi that places you somewhere other than the crime scene
• Arguing that the available evidence doesn’t prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Not all of these defense strategies will be applicable or equally effective in every case. Once your attorney has thoroughly reviewed your charges and the circumstances of your arrest, they’ll be able to discuss with you the most effective ways to answer the allegations against you.

8. What Do You Need Me to Do?

Any successful criminal defense strategy is a collaborative effort between the client and their attorney. Your lawyer will need certain information and decisions from you as your case takes shape. You should understand what expectations your attorney has for you and how they’ll contribute to the successful resolution of your case.

9. Who Can I Talk to About My Case?

It’s understandable to want to discuss your charges with others, but it may not be advisable to do so with certain individuals. For example, it would be unwise to discuss your case with the alleged victim, the police, or the prosecutor without having your attorney present. Similarly, it’s usually a bad idea to post details or thoughts about your case on social media.

10. What Should I Do if I Have Other Questions?

You’ll likely have many more questions as your case progresses, and you deserve prompt, authoritative answers to them. Some attorneys may want you to email or call with questions as soon as you have them, while others might prefer that you write your questions down so you can discuss them during a scheduled office meeting.

These are just a few sample questions you can use to start a conversation with your lawyer about your case. As you prepare to challenge your criminal charges, remember the old adage: The only silly question is the one you choose not to ask.

Contact a Qualified Florida Criminal Defense Attorney Today

Taracks & Associates is committed to providing personalized, informed, and effective advocacy to all clients charged with crimes. This includes answering their questions patiently and accurately and working with them to achieve their objectives.

Call 813-281-2897 and set up your free, no-obligation case evaluation today to learn how representation from Taracks & Associates can positively impact the outcome of your criminal case.