Is your criminal defense lawyer taking forever to answer your phone calls and messages? Are they making important decisions without even consulting you? If so, then it is likely, you’ve hired a bad criminal defense lawyer. When you need an attorney in Australia to defend you against a charge, you should feel confident that your attorney is on your side, fighting to ensure your rights are protected. Facing a criminal charge is a frightening experience, and the last thing you need is to have to fight with your defense lawyer to get the representation that you are entitled to. Here are some tell-tale signs that you have employed a bad criminal defense attorney.
Keep an eye out for these warning signs early enough, so you can still reconsider your decision and hire a competent lawyer.
Poor Communication
If you continuously struggle to contact your defense lawyer, and they hardly return phone calls and messages, it is a sign you might have hired an ineffective lawyer. A lawyer can get busy, but that’s no excuse for ignoring client calls. Your lawyer must have office staff who can answer your calls or schedule appointments when the lawyer can communicate with you.
A good criminal defense lawyer will regularly share updates about your case and show a willingness to answer your queries. They will solicit your input on critical issues.
Communicate your expectations to your attorney. If they show no inclination to satisfy your expectations, consider terminating them and finding a good defense attorney in Australia.
Not Upfront and Honest About Fee Agreements
While consulting with an attorney, let them know what you want to accomplish. A good defense lawyer will evaluate the complexity of your case and let you know upfront the charges for the services involved. Unethical or unprofessional lawyers tend to pad their time, make vague billing practices and add surcharges to legal expenses.
Not Confident
An attorney who promises a guaranteed outcome of your criminal case should be immediately flagged off. The legal system is complex, and no one can promise a specific result. An efficient attorney will be honest with you even if the truth is not in your favor.
Lack of Enthusiasm
You require an attorney who will take your case seriously and be aware of the state of your situation, where the case is headed. The attorney should have faith in your argument because they will be the one telling the judge a convincing story, so the judge decides the case in your favor.
Unprofessional
Any unethical or illegal behavior on your lawyer’s part can be considered legal malpractice for which they can be sued. Unprofessional behavior like arriving late for important meetings, missing court deadlines, making critical decisions about your case without consulting you can lead to serious consequences.
Reputation
Bad attorneys rarely have a good reputation. Search the internet for online reviews about a criminal attorney, to find out if the attorney was punctual, knowledgeable, and if they did get results in previous cases.
Pessimistic Attitude
Avoid engaging a lawyer who is always grumbling or arrogant or condescending. The last thing you’d want is to seem like a liability to your lawyer. Consider finding another lawyer if your existing one is proving to be a problem himself.
No Results
Sometimes it may require an extended time to achieve your goals in your criminal case, but if the attorney did little to further your cause at the court, it might do good to get a new lawyer.
Finding the right criminal lawyers at the right time is worth all the time and effort it takes. You can get in touch with experts like Astor Legal for any legal advice and services.
Photo by Ruthson Zimmerman
