It's neither fun nor productive to be accused of a crime and have to go to trial. What is even less fun and productive is to be assigned a public defender for your case that isn't going to give you the best service possible and help you get off. While we applaud public defenders for their service and bravery, there are many downsides to them being your only legal defense. Instead of relying on a public defender for your defense in a trial, we'd ask you to review the reasons below on why you should hire a defense lawyer instead.

Find Someone Who Specializes in Your Case

We completely understand if you don't have the money to hire a criminal defense lawyer and decide to go with a public defender, but you must ask yourself: what if they don't specialize in your case? For example, if you've been accused of domestic violence combined with a DUI, do they know how to take care of both? Their specialty might be in property violations or antitrust laws, so during their pro bono tenure they are completely out of their element. Instead of taking a chance with a public defender, you'd be much better off hiring a DUI lawyer that also has experience with domestic disputes or assault crimes. It is the unfortunate reality that a lawyer cannot specialize in everything, and the further they get away from their specialty, the worse things get for you and your chances of staying free.

They Simply Don't Have the Time

Everyone in this world has a limited number of time and resources. Like it or not, when you choose public defense for your trial you will be simply a number on the docket of the pro bono attorney that has chosen to take up your case. On average a public defender has 25% less time to devote to a case than is necessary to do a thorough job. It‘s hard to get in touch with your court-appointed attorney except on the day of your trial, and this is not your fault. The simple fact is that there are not enough public defenders to go around, and by hiring a defense attorney you will be getting personalized service that is tailored to you instead of being lost in the shuffle. We wish it were another way instead, but this is the way of the current world.

No Financial Incentive to Go Above and Beyond

Many people don't want to hear this, but when you hire a defense lawyer vs. a public defender, you are giving a financial incentive to do a good job. Whatever your line of work is, everyone wants to be compensated for their time and effort accordingly so that it's worth their while to get up in the morning. But because of the way that public defenders are paid a stipend by the courts, they earn the same amount whether they do amazing amounts of legal research in your case or simply file the bare minimum. It's only partially their fault, and they are simply responding to human incentives that we are all subject to. When you hire a criminal defense lawyer or criminal attorneys to work on your case and pay them what they deserve, you will get stellar and superior service.

Choose a Defense Lawyer, Keep Your Future Open

When you choose a defense lawyer to represent you, it is the same as hiring any other professional. Just like how you wouldn't choose a random relative to fix your plumbing (and would hire a plumber instead), it's better to let those who specialize in an area of law help you get off with grace. Once you have provided a financial incentive for someone to work on your case specifically, they will find the time to make sure that you get the best treatment possible. Whether this is doing legal research or finding out how precedents may affect your obscure case, a good defense lawyer is worth paying for. When you're ready for your case to be taken seriously, be sure to contact the lawyers at The Law Offices of Jason Pollack, Esq!