How Much Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer Cost?

So, how much does a criminal defense lawyer cost? It depends on the type of allegation or allegations you are facing, and what stage in the criminal defense process you are in. For specific pricing on criminal defense cases, contact Weiss & Villalobos here. 

Knowing if you are charged with a misdemeanor or a felony is essential to finding out how much a criminal defense lawyer will cost. 

Not only is a felony more serious than a misdemeanor, there are also additional stages of the criminal defense process, if you are facing a felony allegation, which means that the criminal defense lawyers need to do more investigation and be in the courtroom more with a felony allegation, which increases the cost of a criminal defense lawyer. 

What stage you are at in the criminal defense process determines how much a criminal defense lawyer will cost. There are two ways to look at that: before arrest and after arrest.

Before Arrest: If law enforcement believes you are the subject of an investigation, they may ask you to come to a police station or meet for an interview. You are entitled to have a criminal defense lawyer for any criminal interview, so you can hire a criminal defense lawyer to be with you for the investigation interview. That criminal defense lawyer cost will not be high because no official charges have been brought; however, you still should talk to a criminal defense lawyer before speaking with law enforcement. That is because a criminal defense lawyer may advise that it is not in your interest in speaking with law enforcement.

After arrest: If law enforcement arrests you at the scene of a crime or days or weeks after the alleged crime, you will be provided with a lawyer at your detention hearing, if you cannot afford one. It is crucial that if you are going to hire a private criminal defense lawyer, you hire that lawyer at the earliest stage. That is because your first appearance court is often a first impression of you, which allows the judge to make a determination if you should stay in custody during your pending allegations or be released during your pending allegations. Having the right criminal defense lawyer at the earliest stage allows that lawyer to gather documents and statements from your friends and family to show the judge who you really are and why you should not remain in custody during your pending case. That is important for your own well-being, but it is also crucial to your case because it is much easier for a criminal defense lawyer to communicate with a client who is not in custody than one who is in custody.