Friday, July 3, 2009

How To Find A Los Angeles Defense Attorney

Finding a Los Angeles defense attorney can seem like a huge task to take on with the vast amount of lawyers to choose from. Because Los Angeles does have many lawyers to choose from, how are you supposed to know which one will be best for you and your case? You can conduct an online search detailing the specifics of the type of lawyer you're searching for, or you can contact the Los Angeles County Bar Association's referral service (LRIS).

The LA Bar Association is a member of the American Bar Association and can be considered a highly trustworthy source for a referral. You can visit them online at smartlaw.org where you will find plenty of resources available for your use.

Right from the home page, you are greeted with a simple click and select form. All you need do is complete which type of lawyer you need, be it a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, business litigation, or anything else. You can also select which area you wish the Los Angeles defense attorney to be in, and your preferred language.

This will then take to a more in depth form, where you will be required to fill in personal details such as; your name, address and contact details. Once you have confirmed these, you will be referred to a suitable lawyer in your area. You will be given all necessary contact details, whilst they also give you directions from your address to the Los Angeles Attorney's office.

The lawyer that is referred to you will have been contacted by the LRIS, so they will be awaiting for you to contact them. You will most likely be invited in for a consultation with the lawyer, where you can decide if you want to go with that lawyer or not. If you don't, you can simply contact the LRIS again and they will send you another referral.

The Benefits of Hiring a Defense Lawyer

Los Angeles defense lawyers are called upon when a prospective client is being charged with a case in which they must make a defense for. The can be either a civil or criminal case, but you will find that many lawyers specialize in one or the other.

The need for legal assistance is not an uncommon situation in Los Angeles, as large cities simply have more people, thus a higher chance for crimes or claims will occur. Legal offenses occur in many forms and can vary on the scale of severity, such as traffic offenses, theft, and murder. The ultimate goal of a Los Angeles attorney is to make sure that their client's story is heard and to obtain the best outcome possible, preferably in the form of an acquittal, or discharge.

A defense attorney is a necessity if you are ever charged with a crime. Not only will you have someone to lead you through the trial process, but you will have someone there to make sure that your side of the story is heard by a judge and jury. Ensuring that your story is heard by other people is a huge step in either clearing your name or getting a lesser punishment. Not only is legal assistance advised, but it's also mandatory according to the California penal code and Los Angeles municipal code.

The commission of a crime or a criminal charge levied against a person eventually involves the court. Every person is entitled to a fair trial and enjoys a presumption of innocence. This presumption includes access to competent legal counsel knowledgeable in the law. The lawyer's knowledge is used to mount a credible resistance and speak for the defendant.

Years of experience providing defense services, including criminal defense, should be on the lawyer's resume. A Los Angeles defense lawyer that is new to the area may not have the requisite knowledge of the local legal system. A lawyer that is rooted in the community, either as a single practitioner or part or a large specialty firm would be a better advocate. A former prosecutor or attorney who knows the other side of the process makes for a formidable advocate. Such an individual has the breadth of knowledge form both sides that best serves their