A public defender is a state-appointed attorney that comes to your aid if you are charged with a crime and cannot afford to hire an attorney. Often, public defenders get a bad name. However, just like anything else, there are good public defenders and bad public defenders. In our opinion, there are also good private lawyers and bad private lawyers.If you are accused of a crime and want the best attorney or team of attorneys to represent you, then you should look into the credentials of the lawyer or law firm. How many cases do they fight to trial? How long have they been practicing? Do they work as a team? These are a few of the questions that you should be finding the answers to. Hiring the right lawyer to take care of your case is of monumental importance.Few lawyers in the state of Indiana have the experience, skill, and knowledge to match up to our team of lawyers, whether they are public defenders or private lawyers.
Rule 7.4. of the Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct provides direction for any lawyer who wants to become a “specialist” in an area of law:
- A lawyer shall not state or imply that the lawyer is a specialist in a particular field of law, unless:
- The lawyer has been certified as a specialist by an Independent Certifying Organization accredited by the Indiana Commission for Continuing Legal Education pursuant to Admission and Discipline Rule 30; and,
- The certifying organization is identified in the communication.
In order to become Board-Certified in Indiana as a “Criminal Law Specialist” it requires that the attorney meet the criteria of the National Board of Trial Advocacy. The criteria to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy are rigorous. Only those attorneys who dedicate a high percentage of their practice to criminal defense, and who have acquired a high number of days in trial, will be even considered. Even then, the candidate must pass a difficult day-long test that is put together by some of the finest criminal lawyers in the nation. Not everyone passes this test, as failing the test is not infrequent. Even if the candidate passes the test, judges and other attorneys must provide confidential assessments of the attorneys skill-level and abilities in the area of criminal law to the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Becoming a Board-Certified Criminal Law Specialist is so difficult, and requires such a dedication to criminal law, that of the over 15,000 licensed lawyers in the state of Indiana, only 5 exist that hold that title. 4 of them — Andy Baldwin, Kathie Perry, Max Wiley, and Kelly Pyle — work in our law firm for the Criminal Defense Team of The Criminal Defense Team, and collectively have been Board-Certified for over 5 years.”*
*Andrew Baldwin, Kathie Perry, Maxwell Wiley, and Kelly Pyle are recognized as Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocates by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
No attorney can predict the future. If you are interviewing a lawyer who promises you any outcome, we suggest you run out of his/her office as that is unethical and should not be tolerated. It most likely means that they simply want your money and will promise you a sunny day in order to get your money. It is not uncommon for our firm to have criminal charges, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies dismissed, and perhaps your case can be dismissed as well.
However, statistically speaking it is unlikely that your case will be dismissed. Every case is different and every outcome may be different. In our firm we are willing to give you an idea of a range of likely outcomes based upon the facts of your case, as well as the charge itself, the particular court you may be in and the prosecutor you may be dealing with. We think that part of what we get paid to do is to use our vast experience to provide you guidance on what you are really facing. We won’t lie to you and offer you a sunny day if there are clouds in the sky, nor will we frighten you into taking a plea agreement just to get the case over with, if we believe that you should continue to fight for a dismissal, a better plea or a win at trial. Ultimately, while the case is pending we will tell you what we think is the likely outcome at various stages. Our opinion on those outcomes may change as the evidence rolls in or as the case progresses. We cannot promise what will happen, but may provide at least a pretty good idea of what is likely to happen based upon our vast experience. Our predictions of the outcome of a client’s case rarely fall outside the range that we predict and provide for the client. This is because our lawyers have done this for so long that we have a very good idea about what the outcome may be. Some cases are so strange or have so many variables that we just don’t know or have a good feel for the outcome. If this is the case, we will tell you.
No matter the case, if you’ve been charged with a criminal act, you need to seek legal help immediately and we will give you our thoughts. We are here to help you, so call (317) 687-8326 as soon as you can.
First of all, our initial consultation is always free. You may be able to learn quite a bit about your case and how we would defend it and what type of results you might expect from our consultation, because we spend as much time as necessary to discuss your case before you make a decision to hire us. Hiring a criminal defense lawyer who is essentially in charge of a major part of your life and perhaps your freedom is a huge decision. We are happy to talk to you in our office or on the phone so you can make that decision with as much information as possible.
Once you indicate that you have a desire to hire us, we will discuss cost. Our prices vary depending on a variety of factors. We charge a flat-fee, which means you will be given a quote that will be determined by our firm. Once you agree to pay this fee, there will be no further charges beyond the agreed-upon amount. You can pay upfront or in certain situations, we may agree on a payment plan that will usually require a substantial portion of the overall fee to be paid upfront (usually at least 50% of the fee) then we can usually work out a payment plan on the remaining balance. Factors that influence the price include how severe your charges are, how complex the case is, the number of pending charges, how urgent the matter is, the amount of investigation needed, prior criminal history, as well as a variety of other factors.
When you hire our firm, the Criminal Defense Team of The Criminal Defense Team, you are primarily paying for our reputation as criminal defense lawyers and trial lawyers. You are also paying for our time, experience, knowledge and know-how. To speak with our lawyers about using our services, contact us. The case evaluation is always free.
The state of Indiana categorizes all criminal charges by level of severity, including the total value of stolen property, who, if anyone, was injured, if weapons were involved in a crime, if you have prior convictions, and a number of other factors. Felony charges are more severe and therefore carry higher potential penalties, including harsh prison sentences and high fines. Misdemeanors, on the other hand, can yield 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 for the least serious, or class C, offenses.
Remember that, according to the Miranda rights, that you have the right to remain silent. This means you do not have to say anything to the police that will lead to your incrimination, so please keep that in mind during the process. According to the 5th amendment of the constitution, you do not have to answer any questions the police ask, especially after being arrested. You also have the right to a lawyer and should seek the help of an attorney as soon as you can.
Let a criminal defense lawyer do the talking for you-we have extensive training on the right things to do and say even while an investigation is pending before you are arrested. Talk to us first. Our help can be invaluable to you at this time. Contact us if you need assistance