Are you wondering how to change your criminal attorney? There could be any number of reasons why you may want to switch attorneys. Perhaps you aren’t getting along well with your current attorney? Or it could be that they aren’t producing the results you expected. There are rare cases when an attorney criminal law San Pedro may not be able to continue with your case. Whatever the reasons, it is possible to make a switch if you need to. The question is how do you go about it?
Finding a new attorney
The very first thing you need to do is find a different attorney as a replacement. This means interviewing different ones. Make sure that you are choosing the best possible attorney to represent you this time. Discuss what went wrong with your current attorney and see how the new one would handle things differently. Once you have found your replacement, you can then set into motion the changeover.
Request a substitute counsel
Ideally you should make a request to substitute counsel throughout the pre-trial stage. This gives your new attorney plenty of time to prepare the case. A judge may decline the request if you aren’t giving sufficient notice. However, it’s still possible to request a changeover throughout the trial if you have good grounds to do so. At the very least you will be able to state any concerns you have and get them written on record. That way if you need to appeal at a later date, you will have adequate evidence to do so.
Understanding the costs
One question you may have regarding a change in attorney criminal law San Pedro is whether you can reclaim the fees. Generally speaking, the attorney is entitled to the fees you paid them unless they have acted improperly. You will also be responsible for paying the fees for the new attorney too.
If the attorney did act improperly then they will be disciplined and you may even be entitled to compensation for the damages caused to your case.
Will the current work be lost?
As soon as the changeover is made, all of the work carried out to date will be transferred to your new attorney. One thing to keep in mind is that the changeover shouldn’t affect your case at all. This is only untrue if the court grants a continuance. The actual court dates will stay the same. You will just need to ensure that all information now goes to your new attorney.
Overall it can be stressful switching criminal defence lawyers throughout the trial. However, if you are unhappy for whatever reason then it’s important to at least consider making a switch. There are many good attorney criminal law San Pedro services available. Why stick with one that you aren’t happy with?