Public Defender vs. Private Attorney: Which is Best for My Case?

Ok, you admit it. What you did was stupid. And now you’re sitting in a jail cell, waiting to be arraigned on criminal charges. Should you plead guilty? Not guilty? What you need is an attorney to help you with your case. But should hire someone or ask for a public defender? Is there a difference?

This is an important decision. There are pros and cons to keep in mind when choosing an attorney. So let’s break it down for you.

Public Defenders

A public defender is a lawyer that the court will appoint to your case. You will not have to pay for this lawyer’s services, which will benefit you since attorneys can be quite an expense. In addition, public defenders have experience in defending clients in various criminal cases. They’ve worked with prosecutors before and therefore have a better relationship with them. This could be beneficial in getting a plea agreement.

However, public defenders are overworked. They usually have tons of cases to handle, which means they have a limited amount of time to handle your case. That may mean you might not meet your public defender until a few minutes before your trial. The lawyer may just try to plead out your case just to lessen his/her own workload This means you may not have the right legal defense for your case. You also do not have a choice in who can represent you — once the court assigns a public defender, it can be difficult to get another one.

Private Attorneys

A private attorney is someone you or your family will hire you to represent your interest in court. A criminal defense lawyer that you hired will make the time to learn about your case, have the resources available to assist in your defense, and will take the time to explain your legal options. A private lawyer will also have the time to find any weaknesses in the prosecution’s case that could help reduce your charges or even having the case dismissed.

But this all comes with a price. Hiring a private attorney comes with a hefty fee. But this fee can be used to hire witnesses and experts that can help in your defense. And remember, helping you is also helping the reputation of the private lawyer.

It’s a tough decision, one you need to weigh carefully. But what’s not a tough decision is choosing a bail bond company to help you get out of jail. Contact Andrew Pizzo Bail Bonds today and we’ll help you get out of jail.