Guide to Finding Michigan Criminal Lawyer

If you have been arrested and accused of a crime in the state of Michigan, you need a Michigan criminal lawyer as soon as possible. Experienced MI criminal lawyers can advise and inform you throughout your legal case and keep criminal charges from ruining your life. In this guide, you will learn about the different kinds of Michigan criminal lawyers and how a MI criminal lawyer can help you before, during, and after your trial. This guide will also help you understand how to find MI criminal lawyers to meet your legal needs.

Your Right To a Lawyer

Both the state of Michigan and the federal government recognize that it is so important for you to have a Michigan criminal lawyer that it is a right enshrined in both the U.S. and state constitutions. When you are arrested, the arresting officer will read you your “Miranda rights,” which include the right to have Michigan criminal lawyers represent you before you speak to police.

You can hire a MI criminal lawyer as soon as you are allowed to make a phone call, or after you have posted bail. Having MI criminal lawyers to observe police questioning can ensure that you are not subjected to unfair or illegal interrogation methods, and your Michigan criminal lawyer can advise you as to when you should use your Constitutionally-guaranteed right to remain silent.

What Kind of MI Criminal Lawyer Do I Need?

Michigan criminal lawyers work with a broad spectrum of cases and clients. What kind of MI criminal lawyer you need will depend on your ability to pay and what kind of crime you have been charged with.

If you are unable to afford a private MI criminal lawyer, public MI criminal lawyers called “public defenders” specialize in representing low-income clients for free. These Michigan criminal lawyers are appointed for you by the state, which means you are unable to choose which Michigan criminal lawyer will represent you, and they may be overworked due to state budget cuts in the public defender's office. Because of this, if you have any way to afford a MI criminal lawyer who works in the private sector, you may want to seek private representation by MI criminal lawyers.

What Can Michigan Criminal Lawyers Do For Me?

Hiring MI criminal lawyers to represent you in your criminal case will be useful whether you plan to plead guilty or not guilty. One of the most valuable services your MI criminal lawyer can give to you is advice regarding what to plead. While you never have to take the advice of your MI criminal lawyer, years of experience defending criminal cases can make Michigan criminal lawyers very savvy about your chances of winning at trial.

Your Michigan criminal lawyer can advise you regarding your plea, and can help you negotiate a plea agreement with the district attorney (also called the DA, this is a MI criminal lawyer who works on the other side, as a prosecutor). A plea agreement negotiated by MI criminal lawyers can reduce fines or jail time, often by allowing you to plead guilty to a less serious charge.

If no acceptable plea agreement can be reached, or if you want your name cleared entirely, Michigan criminal lawyers can work with you to make the best possible trial defense. Your MI criminal lawyer will know the most effective tactics to use at trial for cases like yours. MI criminal lawyers can hire expert witnesses to better convince juries about evidence in your favor, which can help secure a not guilty verdict. A MI criminal lawyer with extensive trial experience will also know the best ways to choose jurors to give you the best chance of acquittal. Even if you receive a guilty verdict, your lawyer can help you file an appeal.

Can I Afford a Michigan Criminal Lawyer?

Michigan criminal lawyers are trained professionals, and unless you use the services of a public MI criminal lawyer, you will need to pay accordingly. While Michigan limits the fees of MI criminal lawyers to what is “reasonable,” the amount deemed reasonable can vary widely based on the experience and reputation of each Michigan criminal lawyer, as well as the complexity of your case.

Typically, Michigan criminal lawyers will charge a flat fee based on what you have been charged with. The fee your MI criminal lawyer will charge will also depend on whether you negotiate a plea agreement or go to trial. You can go to an initial consultation with MI criminal lawyers that will give you an understanding of their fee structure.

If you cannot find a Michigan criminal lawyer whose fee you can pay all at once, you may be able to find Michigan criminal lawyers who would accept a payment plan based on your income. If you cannot even afford a MI criminal lawyer using a payment plan, your remaining option is to request the services of a public defense Michigan criminal lawyer.

Finding MI Criminal Lawyers

It can be difficult to know where to begin looking for Michigan criminal lawyers. If you have friends or relatives who have used the services of a MI criminal lawyer, ask them for a recommendation. If you cannot find a Michigan criminal lawyer recommendation, the State Bar of Michigan offers a lawyer referral service.

If you call the state bar's Lawyer Referral Service hotline, you will be directed to a MI criminal lawyer in your county who can help you resolve your legal issues. You will only be directed to one Michigan criminal lawyer per request, but if you choose not to be represented by the MI criminal lawyer you are referred to, you may request another.

MI criminal lawyers participating in the referral service will charge you a consultation fee of twenty dollars or less for an initial half-hour meeting. At the consultation, you can discuss your legal issues with Michigan criminal lawyers and understand how they can help you and what their fee structures are. Once you find a Michigan criminal lawyer you are comfortable with, you can have the legal representation you need before, during, and after your trial.