How Not To Pick a Criminal Defense Lawyer

The increasing efforts of the business and medical communities to restrict the rights of injured workers and plaintiffs from seeking reasonable compensation in the areas of workers compensation, products liability, etc. have resulted in attorneys taking on the defense of persons charged with serious criminal offenses that may adversely affect their freedom.

The relaxation of the rules pertaining to solicitation of criminal defendants has resulted in several attorneys sending solicitation letters to persons arrested by a local law enforcement agency. While this tactic is now legal under the law it does not mean that the letter writing lawyers are better qualified by their aggressive approach of contacting a charged defendant within a few days of their arrest than attorneys who do not use this tactic to acquire clients.

Defendants and their family members or friends also need to be forewarned of jail trustees making positive recommendations about some attorneys and negative comments about others.

It should be pointed out that most jail trustees are repeat offenders and hope to incur favoritism with bail bondsmen when they may next get in trouble and may need someone in that profession to make their appearance at a reduced or free bonding fee. Recommending a bail bond company will often help the trustee receive said benefit.

There are certain lawyers that represent bonding companies and also work closely with the same jail trustees to recommend said attorneys to defendants seeking to get out of jail.

The sending of letters to defendants soliciting business is legal but jail trustees and bail bondsmen recommending a particular attorney or law firm is illegal in Tennessee.

However these practices have been going on for a hundred years and will continue in spite of some elected law enforcement officials to stop them.

The public should check several attorneys’ qualifications before making the decision as to whom you want to entrust with protecting the freedom of a loved one or friend.