In this article, you can discover…
- What to bring with you to an initial consultation with a criminal defense attorney.
- Key questions to ask a criminal defense attorney during your first meeting.
- What to do next after deciding to hire a criminal defense attorney.
What Paperwork Or Documentation Should I Bring To My First Meeting With A Defense Lawyer?
It would be incredibly helpful to bring a valid form of government ID with you. This will allow the attorney to pull your criminal history (if you have one) and better strategize on how to help you.
Please be aware that having a criminal history is nothing to be ashamed of. I’m not here to judge you, and your past won’t cause me to fight for you any less hard.
As your attorney, I care about who you are, how you grew up, the people who matter most to you, what you want out of life, and where you still hurt. Those are the important things, and those are the things I really want to know about you as your lawyer. And the more I know about you, the better I can connect with you and develop a strong, truly helpful defense strategy.
Finally, bring as much information about your arrest as possible, including the county you were arrested in, the circumstances of your arrest, and the charges you’re facing.
Will I Meet Directly With My Criminal Defense Attorney Or Only With Their Staff?
When you work with Maddox Law, PLLC, your initial consultation will be set up with Leanna, our paralegal. After that, you’ll be meeting with me directly. The attorney who works on your case is the same attorney you’ll be talking to throughout.
Working with me is radically different than working with a junior attorney who’s under a senior attorney. I, personally, will be your lawyer and will attend all of your court dates. I don’t just supervise your case or check in on your case periodically; I’ll handle your case personally.
What Are The Best Questions To Ask A Defense Lawyer During The Initial Consultation?
It’s important to ask an attorney about their trial record. Where did they go to school? Why should you hire them? This meeting is a two-way interview. You’ll be deciding if this attorney is a good fit for your case and legal needs, and your attorney is deciding if you are a client they can and should take on.
Ask about their background, their experience, their approach to legal defense, and anything else you feel is relevant. Have they represented clients like you before? Have they successfully defended against the charges you’re facing? How many times? When you work with me, no professional questions are out of bounds.
Attorney Matthew Maddox is a seasoned, hard-working criminal defense attorney serving Texas. Since 1996, he’s helped clients just like you prepare emotionally, legally, and practically for their cases, guiding them through the strongest defense possible from start to finish.
Have questions, or in need of legal help? Reach out to Maddox Law, PLLC for an initial consultation today.
What Personal Information Are You Looking For During Our First Consultation?
When you work with me, you’re not working with your cheapest legal option; you’re working with a professional who has experience, who knows the law, and who wants to help you and get to know you as an individual.
As a result, I take a very personal approach to client intake. To get the most out of your first meeting with me, it will be helpful to tell me what you’re most afraid of legally and personally. Think of me as a doctor or a therapist and be honest with me; that’s what attorney-client privilege is meant to protect. If you’re honest with me, I can better answer your questions and make sure you’re truly ready for the legal road ahead.
As your attorney, I will also need to know that you can listen to me, follow my legal advice, and trust me to handle your case well. I also need to be sure that your expectations for how the law can be applied in your case are realistic and based on legality and facts, not magic. 9 times out of 10, I’ll be able to offer you representation and take your case.
And if I decide that we are not a good fit, I will refer you to someone I trust who will be a better match. This is not a personal rejection of you, but it’s simply my way of saving you from a scenario that would ultimately waste your time, resources, and energy.
What Are The Next Steps If I Decide To Hire You After The First Meeting?
If your initial consultation does not give me all of the information I need, we’ll schedule a follow-up meeting. Generally, however, our initial consultation will leave you with a general summary of what our defense strategy is going to be.
Depending on the background of your case, I may leave you with some specific information (e.g., information about drug testing), but most of the time, my advice will be more general: stay out of further legal trouble and be gentle on yourself as you recover from the shock of your arrest and having been in jail.
I can offer you some specific guidance on how to handle the emotional impact of what you’ve just faced, and if those impacts don’t fade, I can refer you to some trusted specialists who can be of further help.
If you’re seeing me because of sex-based charges, I’ll be in touch regarding polygraph examiners, budget approvals for private investigations, and other elements that will be included in your grand jury packet.
If you have immigration concerns (e.g., you’re an H1-B Visa holder), I may recommend you to a trusted immigration attorney with whom I’ll work to help you stay in this country legally. If you’re a divorced parent and are arrested for a DWI, I can reach out to a family law attorney to help mitigate any risks to your custody plan.
When you hire me, I’ll make sure that we have an action plan in place to help manage any legal and personal issues that are unique to your case. No time will be wasted, and I’ll be sure you’re updated along the way as your case progresses.
What Do You Wish More Clients Understood Before Their Very First Consultation With You?
It’s important to understand that, even as your attorney, I can not speed up your case.
For example, if your child is arrested for having weed in a vape pen and is facing in-house suspension from his school, it’s normal to want the case to be over with as quickly as possible. But the government must first make its move, get forensic results back on the vape pen, and indict your child, and this could take weeks or even months.
While I can begin to negotiate and knock down some brush, as it were, to get the road ready to build, I can’t come in with a bulldozer and a concrete mixer.
Realistically, the State decides when the case moves forward. Be ready for me to do my best to help you or your child, but be ready for the legal process to take some time, as well.
Still Have Questions? Ready To Get Started?
For more information on Collin County criminal defense attorneys, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (972) 427-5473 today.
Attorney Matthew Maddox is a seasoned, hard-working criminal defense attorney serving Texas. Since 1996, he’s helped clients just like you prepare emotionally, legally, and practically for their cases, guiding them through the strongest defense possible from start to finish.
Have questions, or in need of legal help? Reach out to Maddox Law, PLLC for an initial consultation today.
