What Questions Should You Ask A Criminal Defense Lawyer?

Lawyers gain credibility with judges and prosecutors by trying cases. There is no substitute. I am not saying every case should go to trial. But I am saying you should look for a lawyer who is a credible threat of taking a case to trial.

The more experience, the better. I have been licensed to practice since 1992. I was a federal law clerk from 1992 to 1994, a state criminal prosecutor from 1994 to 1996, and have been in private practice in Greenville, handling criminal defense from 1996 to the present. I opened my solo practice in 1998. I have been board-certified as a specialist in state and federal criminal law since 1999.

The best defense is a good offense, and your lawyer should be able to give you a clear and concise game plan. I cannot guarantee or promise a specific outcome, but I will do everything possible to give you confidence and to communicate in a way you can understand. If your lawyer cannot communicate with you, how will he or she be able to communicate with the judge and jury?

With more than 30 years of experience in North Carolina’s state and federal courts, I have handled many different kinds of criminal charges.

One of the chief complaints about lawyers is failing to return phone calls. Unless I am in trial, I have a policy of responding to all calls and emails within 24 hours (one business day). You should hear from me or from someone on my staff whom I have asked to call you with specific information. Your email will come directly to my desk if you send it here.

As I once heard a wise old judge say, “the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of cheap price is gone.” I will charge you a fee low enough to be reasonable but high enough to give me the time I need to spend on your case. I will work with you on a payment plan when possible, but you need to look at the legal fee as an investment in your future. For example, if we resolve a case favorably, it could easily pay dividends in the form of higher earnings down the road that could more than earn back the money a client spent on the attorney fee.