What Makes a Good Criminal Defense Attorney?
While we as individuals face certain daily situations that are stressful, uncertain, and traumatic, one of the most worrying and scary situations someone can face is being charged with a crime. Crimes can range anywhere from minor infractions to misdemeanors and, most seriously, felonies.
Even if not formally charged with a crime, a person can be arrested and suspected of crimes for which they are under investigation. Sometimes people who are not even a “suspect” of a crime or are not formally charged with a crime are still “questioned” by law enforcement and police officers in formal police station settings. They can also be considered “persons of interest” in a crime. Whatever the reason for the police questioning, the person can be interrogated by threatening police officers and law enforcement.
These law enforcement individuals know all the tricks designed to intimidate and frighten the person under suspicion or being questioned.
Sometimes the information used by law enforcement for their line of questioning was illegally obtained in the first place. (For example, they may have illegally searched your car without any probable cause, seized something they thought was suspicious, and then during an interrogation, ask you for information about what they illegally found). This is an example of an illegal “Search and Seizure” in violation of the United States Constitution.
These scenarios can all be a frightening and overwhelming experience for the suspect or the person charged with the crime. In fact, this whole experience can be so overwhelming and terrifying for people that many innocent people even admit to crimes they never committed! This happens a lot more than the average person thinks! Suppose a top-notch criminal defense attorney does not represent the person. In that case, the results can be life-changing, devastating, and catastrophic, not only for the one under suspicion or charged but also for their family and loved ones.
Whether you are simply “questioned” by law enforcement in the early stages of a criminal investigation or you are ultimately charged with a crime, it is essential that you hire a great criminal defense attorney to fight and advocate for you!
Therefore, the critical question for you in this situation is,
“What makes a great criminal defense attorney?”
1. COMMUNICATION
While many factors make for a great criminal defense attorney, several of which will be discussed below, communication is one of the most important. No relationship, business or otherwise, will thrive without good, open, honest, and frequent communication.
And that is what you need when you have an attorney: a relationship with communication since the lawyer’s primary goal is to fight and advocate for you, their client. Of the many complaints often heard about lawyers from their clients, the main one is that the lawyer does not communicate with the client. First and foremost, if there is no honest communication between the lawyer and the client, there can be no genuine, effective representation or advocating for the client. A wonderful thing about entering into an attorney-client partnership is the attorney-client privilege that comes with the relationship. You can be assured that an excellent criminal defense attorney will respect your conversations. None of the communications or information can be disclosed without your permission. Thus, you are free to be open and honest with your attorney. This is an ideal situation because it enables your attorney to do their job to advocate and fight for you effectively! When they know all the ins and outs of your case, whether you may be facing minor charges or serious charges, this will help them form the best strategy for your defense.
2. KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW
It has been said that “Knowledge is Power.” When you are faced with severe legal troubles like arrests, jail and prison time, police interrogations, and criminal charges and convictions, you need a powerful attorney.
It is no surprise to anyone that the law is beyond just detailed and intricate. It can be challenging to navigate all the nuances and comprehend all the specific language of the law. Even the best and brightest law school students who graduate at the top of their class from prestigious Ivy League Law Schools never become lawyers simply because they cannot pass the required state licensing test to become an attorney. That’s how tricky the law can be! Many people who have studied law for years in college and then three years in law school cannot even pass their state exam to become an attorney. And even those who do become attorneys require time and experience to fully know the complexities of the law and its implications for you, their client. One misstep or miscalculation on the attorney’s part can be devastating for you. A great criminal defense attorney will know the local, state, and federal laws.
3. EXPERIENCE
Knowledge also requires more than just knowledge of the law. It requires experience, knowing the law and how it is applied in different situations and cases. As mentioned above, each case is different. Having an experienced criminal attorney advocate for you is essential. Good criminal defense attorneys know how the judicial system works in general. And not only is each case and situation different, but so is each courthouse and how they handle various criminal matters and proceedings. Having over 15 years of experience working in most of the courts in the Southern California area, Mr. Kelmansky understands the particularities of each different court. He also knows intricately how cases are negotiated through plea bargains with prosecutors or how they are ultimately tried in a court of law. A competent criminal attorney will try to negotiate with prosecutors early on in your case.
If, and only if, it makes good sense to your individual situation, a competent defense attorney will attempt to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor to lessen the charges brought against you; in some cases, the attorney will be successful at having the charges dismissed entirely. However, an inexperienced lawyer may not have such bargaining skills or have formed the necessary relationships with the prosecutors and judges to be in a proper position to act in this way for you. You do not have to worry about that with the Kelmansky Law Group.
Also, as stated above, knowledge of the law is not enough. It has to be applied to each individual case to achieve the best outcome for you. Take our earlier illegal “Search and Seizure” example as an illustration. While it may be unlawful to carry a gun in a car openly, you may have had it in your vehicle simply for the innocent desire to protect yourself in an unprovoked and dangerous situation. If discovered and obtained by the police through legitimate means, your experienced attorney may be able to lessen the charges brought against you through a plea bargain; for example, they may argue the gun was not meant for evil intent, but simply to protect yourself in case of an emergency. Similarly, they may highlight your lack of any prior criminal history or record. However, if the gun was obtained by law enforcement through an illegal “Search and Seizure,” the attorney may be able to have the charges dropped altogether.
You need an experienced attorney who knows the law and how it is applied in an actual court of law. After working in the Southern California area as a criminal defense attorney for over 15 years, he has developed the necessary longstanding good relationships with the prosecutors and judges, which will help you for the reasons discussed above. Depending on the case and your unique situation, he may be able to not only lessen the charges brought against you, but also have them dropped entirely. He has experience handling all types of cases, such as minor infractions and misdemeanors, to more severe crimes such as DUIs, Assault & Battery, and aggravated felonies.
4. UNDERSTANDING
A great criminal defense attorney has understanding and empathy for the situation you are going through. As mentioned above, you will be in a close attorney-client relationship where communication is at the forefront. This means that a good defense attorney will know all aspects of your case and advocate for you, despite how minor or severe the charge or crime. This attorney is not there to judge you, they are there to represent you to the best of their ability, and their priority is what is best for you. Many people faced with criminal troubles, arrests, jail and prison time, and trials are often judged in a court of law and in the court of public opinion. This includes judgment from their family and friends. Great criminal defense attorneys do not judge their clients at the risk of failing to represent them to the best of their ability. Instead, they understand what the individual is going through and the ultimate objective to fight for them no matter how serious the charges or crimes. An experienced attorney like Mr. Kelmansky will not judge your story; he will work to get every fact and detail of the situation so that he has the adequate tools to provide you with the best defense.
5. CONFIDENCE
Like most aspects of our lives, we need to be confident if we want to be successful. This confident attorney is also the primary key to success for you. That confidence comes with knowledge of the law, how it is applied in each unique case, and years of experience defending all types of cases for all kinds of clients in various courtrooms.
This type of great criminal defense attorney cannot be faked, and you do not want an attorney who doesn’t possess these attributes. With a good criminal defense attorney, you have a seasoned professional who knows the incredible value of communication with a client and the trust that it brings between the attorney and the client. You also have an experienced, competent, understanding and confident attorney who knows his primary job is to fight and advocate on your behalf to obtain the best outcome for you.
Where Should You Start?
Our law firm offers all the guidance you need. With more than 15 years of experience, Kelmansky Law Group’s Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys will fight hard for you. Contact us today to learn more.
Need a Criminal Defense Attorney? CALL NOW: 213-932-8922
Yuliya Kelmansky is an Expert Criminal Defense Attorney who has over 15 years of practice defending a variety of criminal cases.
