Why Hire a Private Maryland Criminal Attorney

The practice of criminal law can be very complicated. Most people do not know how to prepare a proper motion to demand the presence of the breath technician who conducted the breathalyzer test or how to demand discovery from the court. While in court, most people do not know how to properly raise evidentiary objections when the State introduces evidence that should not be introduced.

Like with other professional endeavors, having a Maryland criminal defense lawyer who is professionally trained in the practice of law and who has prepared defense strategies for other criminal cases can be very beneficial in a criminal case.

Differences Between Private and Public Defenders

The main difference between hiring a Maryland criminal lawyer from a private law firm and public defender is that a person must pay for a private defender. The public defender is available for people who may not be able to afford the fees associated with a private defender.

The main benefit of an attorney with a private law firm is that they have a lot more time to devote to an individual case. Public defenders are excellent attorneys; however, they often have very large caseloads and their time is in high demand. A private Maryland criminal attorney’s case load is usually less that of a public attorney. For every 10 cases a public defender has, a private defender probably only has one. This means that a private defender has more time and energy available to devote to each client’s case, which can result in a more thorough case evaluation and defense.

Finding a Private Defender

When seeking counsel from a private criminal defense attorney in MD, it is important to find counsel that is familiar with the charges a person is facing, as well as with the jurisdiction where the case will be heard. A private defender will need to know the individual personalities of those in prosecutor’s officer who will be arguing the case and the judge.

In addition, a private defender should also be aware of the temperament of the jury pool in the town where the case will be tried. A jury pool in southern Maryland may have a very different outlook on life than those in northern Maryland.

Online reviews provide a great source of information about attorneys. Not only do they let you see where a particular attorney has practiced, but also the types of cases where they have had success. You can also learn about past clients who have had both good and bad experiences with the attorney that you may be considering hiring. Thus, they should provide a person with an understanding of whether they will get along with the attorney.

Hiring a Private Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer

When a person decides that they do not like the direction that the current attorney is taking or find that they do not get along with their current attorney for some reason, there is nothing stopping a person from hiring a different attorney. An individual always has the option to terminate their relationship with their current attorney in order to hire a Maryland criminal defense lawyer who they think they will be more comfortable with.