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What Should I Look For In A Criminal Defense Lawyer? 550

Facing a legal crisis is difficult. Being arrested often leads to terrifying, stressful situations which can affect the rest of your life. In such times, having a tough Minneapolis criminal defense lawyer with experience and a good reputation can help you explore your options and get the best possible result.

So, what qualifications should you look for when hiring a criminal defense lawyer?

Below is a helpful, though not exhaustive, list of qualifications to look for if you are facing criminal charges in the state of Minnesota:

  1. Licensed – They need to be licensed in State of Minnesota.
  2. Experience – Do they have significant experience? A lawyer who has only been practicing for a few months or even a few years, may not see all the options. Preferably, you want someone who has been practicing at least 20 to 30 years?
  3. A Record of Success – Experience is great if the person has actually won cases. An attorney with lots of experience losing isn’t what you want. They should have a list of published successes on their website.
  4. Successful Appeals – Have they won cases at the Minnesota Court of Appeals and United States Supreme Court? Are they licensed in the United States Supreme Court? If not, they may not be able to handle your case properly. This should be a requirement

If you have already faced charges and lost because your lawyer was unable to get the charges dropped or prevent a conviction, you may also want someone who is an expungement lawyer in MN to get judicial and executive branch records expunged even if you were convicted of an offense.

What Should I Expect From My Minneapolis Criminal Defense Lawyer

Once you hire a defense attorney, how should things proceed?

The Intake:
This is the initial meeting with the client. This meeting should take from 1 to 3 hours. If it doesn’t and the lawyer is only spending about 20 minutes with you, they probably will not be able to adequately represent you. Simply put, it takes time to gather enough information to represent a client well.

Preparing for Settlement Negotiations:
After the Intake, your lawyer will begin doing several things, such as…

  • Bringing motions
  • Obtaining evidence
  • Reviewing evidence
  • Reading police reports and medical records
  • Gathering video and audio evidence
  • And more

Eventually, settlement negotiations will begin. Whether to accept a plea offer is the client’s decision.

A Trial:
If the settlement negotiations fail and parties have not been able to agree on a resolution, a jury trial will be scheduled. This is when all the witnesses show up to testify, the sides present their cases, and a jury decides its verdict.

In addition to the above, there are the possibilities of appeals and expungement after the trial.

You Need a Qualified Lawyer

Throughout this process, you need a qualified criminal defense lawyer with experience and a proven record of success to guild you through each step and give you the best defense possible.

Criminal Defense Lawyer, Lynne Torgerson, Esq., an attorney of excellence and experience of over 29 years, can represent you or your loved one on all criminal charges throughout the State of Minnesota including the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul as well as Edina, St. Louis Park, and Minnetonka.

CONTACT US NOW!

(612) 339-5073

Contact Lynne Torgerson today at (612) 339-5073 for a free initial consultation.

Contact Lynne Torgerson

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