Yes, when you are facing criminal charges, a protection order, an investigation, or educational disciplinary proceeding then your good name, future opportunities, employment or career and liberty may be at stake. You do need an attorney. Why? Because the things you could lose are some of the most important things in your life. That is nerve wracking and frightening. In that emotional state, you are already at a disadvantage in terms of taking care of yourself and your situation.

Or, you might think that there is no evidence and the judge or prosecutor will see that and side with you. Don’t assume your opinion of the evidence and the court system is accurate. Since you’re probably not one who has been through this numerous times, you probably don’t know the ins and outs and strategies and rules that would be most successful. And an experienced attorney does. You need an attorney with a cool and objective perspective who knows the people, the rules, the courts, the possibilities and has the skills to stand by you and protect you in an intimidating court system.

Maybe. If you don’t have sufficient funds to pay for counsel, then yes, you should go with the public defender. (But note that public defenders are not appointed for protection orders, anti harassment orders, or criminal charges that are under investigation). If you have the funds to pay for counsel, then you should retain counsel.

You will receive more frequent attention and greater resources will be applied to your case. And you can hand pick your attorney vs. having a randomly assigned attorney, of unknown skill and commitment to you or your case, appointed to you.

Look to experience, client reviews, the attorney’s communication style and fees. Do you trust this person and understand him/her when they talk to you about what’s going on with your case and your life. First and foremost, you want someone with good communication. Chances are if the attorney has good communication skills with you, they will have the same with the prosecutor, judge and jury.

Experience is key too. Number of years in practice means the attorney has seen and handled hundreds if not thousands of cases with similarities to yours. Common sense tells you that with each case, the attorney gains more knowledge and becomes better. And what have prior clients said? Try to find that out too. They have walked in your shoes with this very attorney, that tells you a lot. If there are no client reviews, that might tell you something too.

If there is truly no evidence, then you won’t be charged or the charges should be able to be dismissed with some basic competent advocacy. But often times what a person who is unfamiliar with the system thinks is evidence is much different from what is accepted as evidence in court. Obvious evidence is photos, witness bystanders, tangible items, etc.. But evidence is also the word of just one person – even one person who is of questionable background or character.

People can be charged based on the word of one person alone. And, even scarier, is that people can be charged even if the only witness is recanting (i.e, withdrawing or disputing allegations that the accused committed a crime). But, if you are in the unfortunate position of facing charges, be thankful that the evidence consists of the word of only one person – that’s le

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Our Law Firm is committed to providing the highest quality legal advice. We are a result oriented law firm, that takes pride in giving effective legal representation.

We understand that situations happen in life. That is why it is our goal to lead you through challenging times and handle all your legal needs professionally with care and understanding.

Mr. Jeffers’ practice covers the Raleigh, NC and Durham, NC areas; and other Wake County towns including Wake Forest, Cary, Apex, Garner, Knightdale, Holly Springs, Wendell, Zebulon, Rolesville, New Hope, Fuquay-Varina, and other surrounding areas.
Mr. Jeffers also travels to most counties throughout Central North Carolina.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney at law for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail.

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