How to choose one

  • Look for substantial trial experience — courtroom skill is learned in the courtroom.
  • Domestic violence and child-abuse allegations are specialized; general criminal experience isn’t enough.
  • If an attorney tells you to cooperate with CPS or police before you’ve been charged, get a second opinion.
  • The best time to get a case dismissed is often before a formal indictment — an attorney who wants to wait and see may be missing that window.
  • Find an attorney who returns your calls personally, not just through a legal assistant.
  • Look for an attorney willing to go to trial, not just negotiate a plea — a family-violence or sexual-assault conviction has consequences far beyond the case itself.
  • Take your time. How you respond after being accused is one of the most consequential decisions you’ll make.