Defendants have many rights when they are charged with a serious crime. Most people know about the right to remain silent, but there are several other rights anyone who has been accused of a crime should be aware of so they can adequately defend themselves in court. The most important right everyone has is the right to an attorney. A qualified lawyer may be invaluable to a defendant in a felony case. Many people who are accused of felony crimes are eligible for court-appointed representation. However, hiring a criminal lawyer in Manhattan, KS may offer benefits that wouldn’t be available with a public defender.
Time
Public defenders may be provided at no cost to defendants who qualify, but in many cases, people get what they pay for. Court-appointed attorneys have similar credentials as paid attorneys. However, because public defenders must take the cases that are assigned to them, they don’t always have time to answer all of their client’s questions. They don’t usually have paralegals at their offices to take care of simple inquires, so clients may go days without getting a response to an urgent question.
Focus
Attorneys who work for the courts take a wide variety of cases. They typically do not get to choose an area to focus on and may represent clients charged with misdemeanors and felonies. When defendants pay for a criminal lawyer in Manhattan, KS, they get the benefit of their lawyers’ experience in the courtroom. When these attorneys have been focusing on one type of case for several years, they may be able to answer a client’s questions without having to conduct research.
To get the most benefits from an attorney, defendants should contact the Oleen Law Firm as soon as possible after they’ve been arrested. This provides the attorney with the most time to review the case prior to having to make a court appearance. It may also may give them the ability to interview witnesses while the events are still fresh in their mind. Anyone who has been charged with a crime should browse the website to learn more about the firm and schedule a consultation to get to know the attorney before signing a contract.
