There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship, whether professional or personal. The attorney-client relationship always has some pros and cons. However, in a partnership with the right criminal lawyer in Rochester, NY, the pros greatly outweigh the cons, at least in most cases.
An old story among criminal defendants is that a lawyer helps you get what’s coming to you. Alas, many of the thousands of attorneys in New York have this attitude. They immediately look for a quick settlement and an easy way out, so they can move onto the next case.
The good news is that the Empire State has more lawyers (over 185,000) than any other state in the country.[1] California is second, if you can call it that, with barely more than 167,000. All these attorneys in New York mean that the right one for you is out there somewhere.
Self-Representation
Another old saying is that a man who represents himself is a fool for a client. Usually, this aphorism is accurate. The state has a team of attorneys, legal support staff, and investigators who, in most cases, only care about convicting defendants. They usually don’t care anything about justice. The deck is stacked so badly that an individual simply has no chance of obtaining a favorable result.
Non-incarceration matters may be the one exception. Many low-level misdemeanors in New York, especially traffic ticket cases, are fine-only cases. Most people gamble with their money in one way or another. Gambling with your liberty is something else entirely and not something that anyone should do.
Nevertheless, there could be a lot of money at stake. The collateral consequences of a speeding ticket are a good example. The fine itself might only be about $50 or $100. However, the court adds significant fees to this fine. Additionally, most speeding tickets raise insurance rates by about 25 percent.[2] So, there might be more at stake than you think.
Therefore, even in non-incarceration cases, defendants should always ask Rochester, NY, criminal lawyers to evaluate their cases. An attorney tells you what could happen if you lose the case. That includes the direct and collateral consequences. Furthermore, a lawyer identifies possible defenses, such as malfunctioning equipment in speeding ticket cases. After this evaluation, defendants can make better choices.
Public Defender/Court-Appointed Lawyer
We’ve probably all seen horror stories about overworked public defenders and court-appointed lawyers who barely keep up with their cases and don’t fight for their clients. That’s probably true in some cases. But certainly not in all cases.
Some people may remember the 1995 Oklahoma City truck bombing. Timothy McVeigh, the bomber, was executed for his crimes. McVeigh’s primary accomplice, Terry Nichols, faced a similar fate. Michael Tigar, a court-appointed lawyer, led Nichols’ defense team.[3] Tigar and his team convinced a jury to sentence Nichols to life in prison without parole. That’s certainly not an ideal outcome, but it’s much better than it could have been.
This story brings up two important points. First, a court-appointed lawyer or public defender is perfectly capable of handling your defense. Bear in mind that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to an attorney but not the right to a free attorney. Public defenders are only available in limited situations.
Second, “winning” a criminal case could mean different things. A not-guilty verdict is obviously a win. So is a pretrial dismissal of charges. If a criminal lawyer in Rochester, NY, significantly reduces the punishment, that’s a win as well.
Private Rochester, NY Criminal Lawyer
Of all these options, a full-time partnership with a criminal defense lawyer has the most pros and fewest cons. Full-time lawyers not only evaluate cases. They also prepare defenses and, most importantly, advocate for defendants.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, defendants have limited court appointed/public defender options. But they have unlimited choices when it comes to private attorneys. Additionally, if a private Rochester, NY criminal lawyer isn’t working out, for whatever reason, most defendants can change lawyers at any time. However, defendants cannot “fire” court-appointed lawyers or public defenders. They can ask the judge to designate someone else, but the judge will almost certainly refuse to do so.
One final note. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Sixth Amendment gives defendants the right to hire any attorney they choose. So, the state cannot use the forfeiture process to seize so much money or other property that defendants cannot afford to hire the lawyers they want to hire.
There’s a big difference between a criminal arrest and a criminal conviction. Contact the Law Office of Frank Ciardi for a free consultation with an experienced Rochester criminal attorney for robbery. We routinely handle matters in Monroe County and nearby jurisdictions.
Sources:
[1] https://www.ilawyermarketing.com/lawyer-population-state/
[2] https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/speeding-ticket-rate-increase/
[3] https://www.cobar.org/Calendar/Event/sessionaltcd/DYLD091721