We know that a new arrest can be stressful and challenging for most people. You need the comfort of speaking to our criminal defense lawyers as soon as possible.
Our attentiveness to phone calls is something that we take pride in because we know that it can set people off on the right path when it comes to criminal defense of a case. Our office phones are generally answered by our helpful and friendly office staff, although sometimes calls are forwarded directly to Don MacNeil’s cell phone. Many lawyers don’t give out their mobile phone numbers, but we’ve found that it’s the best way to communicate with potential and existing clients. If for some reason we can’t pick up a call, we will return voicemail messages within 30 minutes.
Our firm has a brick and mortar office building, so we are not lawyers who are running their practice out of the trunk of their car. After getting some basic information that will help us evaluate your situation, our staff will generally transfer the call to an attorney. If we happen to be in court or out of the office, then they may direct the call to a cell phone.
We look forward to speaking with you. It is best to call before you discuss the case with anyone, including law enforcement. That way, we can make sure your rights are protected and you are in a position to have the best defense strategy possible.
It is completely up to the potential client to decide whether or not they would like to meet with one of our attorneys before deciding if they want The MacNeil Firm to handle their case. With more serious and complicated misdemeanor or felony cases, we do prefer to meet in person. However, if someone is simply dealing with a traffic ticket or something of that nature and cannot come into the office, then we could handle everything over the phone. With that said, most people prefer to meet face to face before deciding to retain our services.
What Can I Expect In My First Meeting With The Criminal Defense Lawyers In Your Office?
When you first come into the office and meet with one of our Criminal Defense Lawyers, we usually start by discussing the charges and looking at paperwork. We make sure that potential clients understand the nature of the charges and the possible penalties. From there, we will ask questions about the arrest. Most people think that we want to hear their side of the story, but that generally isn’t true. We carefully acquire information about the situation without needing you to make any admissions or incriminating statements, which could hurt my ability to defend them later on in court.
After we’ve talked about the facts of the case, we usually give a few thoughts as to what our defense strategy might be. At that point, we wouldn’t have seen any evidence, so the defense strategy could change. However, having done criminal and DUI defense for over 20 years, we are usually pretty accurate in terms of how we’ll proceed in a case. We will also discuss and answer questions about the procedure and logistics of the case, such as how many times we are going to have to go to court, whether or not there will be a preliminary hearing or a grand jury trial, and whether or not a good judge will be assigned to the case.
To the first meeting with Criminal Defense Lawyers, potential clients should bring any paperwork that they received as a result of the arrest, such as tickets, bond slips, a notice of summary suspension, or a warning to motorists. We are often able to find useful information in those types of documents. For example, we might learn that the police officer wrote two different court dates on the bond slip and ticket, which would allow us to avoid missing the real court date and having a warrant issued.
As another example, we might notice that there was a two-hour delay between the arrest and the Breathalyzer test, which could be a significant detail in a case. Sometimes, the bail bond receipt will have helpful information, such as if the case is charged as a possession or possession with intent to deliver. Basically, please bring all paperwork you have received as it could be useful to us.
It is important for us to get to know our clients, so we will go over personal topics with you. This may include your marital status, education history, and work history. Having this information allows our Criminal Defense Lawyers to get to know you a little better, and may also be helpful if we need to emphasize the positive aspects of your life to a judge or prosecutor.
We really take time in our initial interviews to make sure that we’ve gone over everything and answered all of the questions. Lastly, we discuss legal fees. We are very transparent and present all potential fees to the client. We can’t predict exactly what every case will cost, but we generally have a pretty good idea.
Our legal team at The MacNeil Firm, is here to provide you with the support you need and deserve
As your case moves forward, we will do everything we can to make sure you are supported and updated. In most cases, a client will meet with us once we have received new discovery or evidence, which is what we initially focus on and how I evaluate cases. Discovery or evidence is usually tendered in court, but sometimes it’s mailed to me between court dates. If we receive the material in the mail, we will generally contact our clients and let them know that there is new information to discuss.
Sometimes the prosecutors don’t provide any new information between court dates, and if that is the case, we are still always happy to meet clients if they have any questions. In addition, we are always available over the phone to give updates or answer questions.
