Hiring a Private Criminal Defense Attorney v. a Public Defender

Once you’ve been charged with a crime, it’s important to hire an attorney to defend your case. While you do have the option of working with a public defender, there are benefits to hiring a private criminal defense lawyer instead.

Public defenders are a free service offered by the government, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re better off working with a public defender as opposed to a private defender. Although hiring a private criminal defense lawyer will be more expensive, it is important to think of it as an investment in your future. Public defenders often do not have the time to dedicate your case that a private attorney does. Public defenders tend to be overloaded with more cases than they can handle, which means they don’t always have the time to dedicate to a case that the client deserves. A private criminal defense lawyer, however, controls how many cases they take on, so they always have enough time to devote to your case.

Another reason why a private defense lawyer is a better option is because they tend to have access to more resources. Public defenders have limited budgets, whereas private attorneys use part of the attorney fees you pay to conduct their investigations or any research needed for your case.

A criminal defense attorney can tell you firsthand why it’s best to work with them versus a criminal defender. If you're interested in speaking with an attorney about this topic, click here to find a criminal defense lawyer near you!