should i use a public defender or a private lawyer? HELP PLEASE!!!!
Q. I was arrested at my own bank for "passing a counterfeit check".I
never even endorsed this check. I took the check to the bank to
inquire upon its validity. (I'm selling my piano online and I received
the check in the mail from a buyer from out of the country, and I
thought it wise to ask my bank for their opinion on the check.)
Instead, my bank CALLED THE COPS when they found out it was
counterfeit.
The cops took me away to jail for TWO DAYS and TWO NIGHTS and it was
the worst days of my life. I can't believe this. It tore me apart.
Now my choice lies before me: I must defend myself in court with a
public defender, or go hire a private attorney.
All the private attorneys I talk to say that I HAVE to hire an
attorney because otherwise the legal system will screw me and
definetely get me convicted of something, no matter how innocent I am.
But are they saying this just to earn my money?
On the other hand, public defenders are free, fully licensed
lawyers... but are they too busy and overrun with poor people who
can't afford a lawyer to adequately listen to my case?
I don't know what to do..... I'm scared. I need to make the right
choice, but I don't want to blow my only savings on a private lawyer
if I don't really need one for my pretty simple case.
A. The best criminal defense attorneys I know are public defenders.
Who would you rather have fix your car - the mechanic-manager who charges
high prices and has a shop full of the latest gizmos and tools, with a
staff of people who do the actual work, or the mechanic who works on three
times as many cars a day and gets his hands dirty by personally fixing
every car, down to the smallest lug nut?
Maybe not the best analogy, but it applies.
Besides, as a defendant, if you want a private lawyer to file X motion or
do Y, your bill will go up. I've seen public defenders go to some
extraordinary lengths on cases they really believe in, since the cost of
their representation isn't an impediment. They're overworked and
underpaid, sure (just like the prosecutors), but they are very, very good
at what they do.