In a criminal case, you can choose to represent yourself; this is called Pro Se. I can tell you from experience, that prosecutors hate dealing with pro se defendant because it seriously limits their ability to plea bargain, as they cannot speak with the Pro Se defendant other than on the record in court, and because it is much easier to deal with a trained professional. From a perspective of a criminal defense lawyer, I would highly recommend that you don,t represent yourself. Gideon v. Wainwright established the defendants right to counsel, so if you cannot afford a criminal attorney, the Court will appoint one for you.

If however you are able to hire a criminal defense lawyer, you may face a huge challenge of choosing where to go, since there are so many criminal lawyers around. Finding the right one for your case can be challenge. Here are some useful tips that you can use to find the best criminal attorney for your case.

1. Scrutinize the criminal defense attorney's credentials

A criminal lawyer's credentials are not just what school he or she went to, but rather what is the lawyer's reputation in the community. A criminal case is one of the most stressful experiences you and your family will undergo. You are not just looking for an aggressive criminal lawyer, you are looking for a compassionate criminal lawyer, who will be willing to educate you and your family through this difficult time, a criminal lawyer who is going to diligently communicate with you and keep you posted on your case. So, when choosing a criminal defense attorney to represent you in court, it is imperative that you scrutinize this aspect of their background properly. Besides theoretical knowledge, the lawyer should also have practical skills in handling criminal cases.

2. Find out about the criminal lawyer's level of experience

Another crucial factor that you need to look into is the lawyer's experience in the criminal field. It is ok to ask how many criminal cases has the criminal lawyer handled, how many trials has the lawyer had. If the attorney has 10 areas of law listed on their website, ask what percentage of their practice is criminal. Is the lawyer truly a criminal defense attorney or just an occasional dabbler?

3. Trust your gut feeling

Just like with doctors, you should make sure that you will be able to carefully listen to your criminal attorney's advice. If you don't think you will trust the lawyer's opinion, don't hire them. In a criminal case, it is truly a team effort, the client must be able to be truthful with the lawyer and trust his or her judgment. If you came into a doctor's office and it was messy and disorganized, would you come back to that doctor?

4. Look at the lawyer's background

Just as you would examine a product before paying for it, so should you research about the background of the lawyer before hiring him or her. This should involve reading reviews from past clients. Consider reading the criminal lawyer's reviews on martindale.com and avvo.com.

Need a criminal attorney but you are on a budget? This is often is a huge challenge for clients. The stakes get even higher when you need a criminal attorney but cannot afford the services of a good one. However, by keeping in mind a few things when choosing a lawyer, you can easily find a good criminal lawyer without paying through the nose.