This is an unfortunately true statement. Far too many criminal lawyers have zero trial experience and are afraid to go the distance with their clients because they have not allowed themselves the opportunity to test their abilities in a court of law. They are unproven in a courtroom and are hesitant to push the judge or engage the jury. If you have been charged with a felony, you simply cannot afford to choose a defense attorney who does not have a track record of proven success.
Plea bargains are not without their uses. Criminal attorneys use them every day to cut the charges or jail time of their clients who are guilty of some crime, but they should never be the answer to someone who is guilty of no crime.
If you have been charged with a crime you did not commit, or over-charged due to overly-aggressive prosecutors you will require an experienced defense lawyer with proven success behind him or her to ensure that you receive justice. In a felony case, the only sure way to avoid jail is to win in a trial scenario. However, this isn’t the 1950’s. You’re not facing the jury of To Kill a Mockingbird or Twelve Angry Men. You’re facing people who have had 40 years of watching television crime shows behind them. This can work to your advantage at times and against it. Having an experienced attorney with proven success in selecting and speaking to juries can mean the difference between a plea bargain, jail, and you walking out the door with no criminal record at all.
You wouldn’t want to be someone’s first post-graduation brain surgery and you don’t want to be someone’s first felony trial.
True, everyone has to start somewhere, and when it comes to lawyers it’s best to work your way up to felony cases, gaining experience along the way. At CiceroAdams, we believe in giving clients the benefits of our experience and time because it’s your life, not ours, that will be affected if the case is not handled correctly. Today’s Ohio criminal court system is more aggressive, more unbalanced, and more difficult to navigate than ever before. Throwing someone into the mix who has no history of success behind them when your freedom is on the line is simply not a good move.
Trust in track records.
There are no guarantees in life. That is true. However, we can reduce risks by going with proven success. You have a better chance of winning with someone who has won before repeatedly than someone who has barely played the game. When the stakes are high, go with a proven winner.