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Getting the Right Attorney for Criminal Defense
By: David Johnson, Wed May 4th, 2011
You may not need to have help from a legal advisor throughout life. However, certain circumstances may make it essential to get legal help. One such is facing criminal charges. Whether it is a drunken driving charge or a bribery charge, you need to get legal help on an immediate basis in such a situation.
Why do you need a criminal attorney at such times? Any criminal charge comes with the risk of conviction, and subsequent penalties. Depending on the charge and the circumstances, the penalties may include jail time and fines. This may jeopardize your personal life as well as your career prospects.
You may represent yourself in a criminal case. However, this is not a good idea. Without in-depth knowledge of the Florida laws and experience in handling such cases, you may not be able to –
• Understand the charges brought against you
• Ascertain your rights
• Realize the legal issues involved in the case
• Plea bargain correctly
• Prepare adequate defense
Getting just any legal professional is not a wise decision – after all, your present and future, and maybe your life, is at stake. To make it easy for a defendant to find the right legal practitioner, the Florida Bar offers a specific Board Certification Program, as per the directives of the Supreme Court of Florida.
How does this program help you? When you are looking for legal representation for defense, all you need to do is find out a board certified criminal attorney for the job. If your legal advisor has this certification, you may be rest assured that he/she has the necessary education and experience to handle the case.
What exactly does this program incorporate? Only if a Miami criminal defense lawyer passes certain criteria, he/she becomes eligible for this certification. Here is a quick look at the important details.
Education – must complete 45 hours of continued legal education in the preceding 3 years
Examination – must pass the written examination as well as peer review
Experience – must practice law for a minimum period of 5 years. Along with this, he/she needs to have:
Handled at least 25 criminal cases (with a minimum of 20 jury trials)
Handled at least 15 felony cases
Handled at least 10 cases where he/she was the lead counsel
Apart from this, the attorney would need to have active involvement (at least 30%) in criminal trial law practice. As you are sure to understand, any lawyer with such credentials must have the necessary expertise to handle the criminal defense in your case.
About the Author:
David Johnson, a legal journalist, offers tips and suggestions regarding legal issues concerning criminal defense matters. If you are looking for a board certified criminal attorney, he suggests you to visit http://www.dczlaw.com/
