how can ifind a recordof a lawyer

by Ms. Emelie Hansen DDS 9 min read

How to Find Attorney Records Step 1. Inquire with state bar associations. Attorneys must be licensed through the bar association of each individual... Step 2. Search court records. If you know the name of at least one party to a case in which an attorney was involved,... Step 3. Talk to law school ...

The Lawyer's State Bar Profile
Each state bar will have a disciplinary organization, where you can find information on lawyers' conduct. That's because the state bar associations keep up-to-date and accurate records on any ethical violations by their lawyers.
May 5, 2020

Full Answer

How do I find an attorney’s records?

Before you begin to search for an attorney’s records, compile identifying information that will assist you with your research, including her full name, name of the firm where she is employed, the states where she is practicing and where she attended law school. Inquire with state bar associations.

What are attorney Records and why are they important?

Attorney records comprise a number of documents, including details regarding bar membership, professional disciplinary history, reported cases and academic history. They can be used to verify a lawyer’s credentials before client retention or as a background check for employment.

How do I find out if a lawyer is representing a defendant?

Go to your local criminal courthouse and ask for a listing of recent cases in which the attorney has represented a defendant. While many jurisdictions have case records online, that is not the case in every state or municipality. File an open records request with the public defender's office or local court.

How do I find a good lawyer?

Verify an attorney's license and status. See which law school and the graduation dates appear in many states. Have the state bar refer a lawyer and browse directory of services.

What is a lawyer's track record?

A lawyer’s track record is a clear indicator of how good an attorney is at their job. That’s why it’s so important to look at your lawyer’s track record before you get one for the job. However, not everyone knows how to do so. Here’s how to research an attorney track record before you sign any retainer agreement and get trusted personal attorney.

What does Google do for lawyers?

Google will bring you all the relevant information about the lawyer. This includes any news stories, online reviews, or publications relating to the lawyer and, most importantly, the attorney track record.

Do you have to do homework to win a court case?

Your chances of winning or losing a court case majorly depend on your attorney. As such, it is imperative to do your homework on any lawyer you settle for to handle your case. We know how frustrating it can be to get the right lawyer for your case.

Does Google bring you information about a lawyer?

Google will bring you all the relevant information about the lawyer. This includes any news stories, online reviews, or publications relating to the lawyer and , most importantly , the attorney track record. The downside to Googling your lawyer is that it might take you a while before you actually find any relevant information.

Do state bar associations keep up with ethical violations?

That’s because the state bar associations keep up-to-date and accurate records on any ethical violations by their lawyers. However, any ethical violation doesn’t necessarily denote a bad lawyer; it just means the lawyer violated an ethical code.

Is it bad to googling a lawyer?

The downside to Googling your lawyer is that it might take you a while before you actually find any relevant information. This is especially true if you’re googling the lawyer by name.

How to find out if a criminal lawyer has represented a defendant?

Go to your local criminal courthouse and ask for a listing of recent cases in which the attorney has represented a defendant. While many jurisdictions have case records online, that is not the case in every state or municipality.

How to find out if a lawyer has disciplinary action?

Call the local bar association and ask for the any records on file related to your attorney. The bar association will have information on disciplinary actions and complaints filed by prior clients.

How to file an open record request?

File an open records request with the public defender's office or local court. If the attorney is a public defender, then his office has a duty to release information regarding every case he has defended while working there and even has to release performance reviews. If the attorney has worked as a court-appointed lawyer, then the court generally has the same duty to release any record related to his work for the court.

Why is it difficult to find a criminal defense lawyer?

The traditional method of selecting a lawyer has been to rely on a referral from a family member or friend, because there are no publications that keep track of attorneys' overall won-loss records.

What should I look for when choosing a lawyer?

The lawyer will be helping you solve your problems, so the first qualification is that you must feel comfortable enough to tell him or her, honestly and completely, all the facts necessary to resolve your problem. No one you listen to and nothing you read will be able to guarantee that a particular lawyer will be the best for you; you must judge that for yourself.

How long can you be in jail for a crime?

Constitution guarantees you the right to be represented by a lawyer in any case in which you could be incarcerated for six months or more. State constitutions may guarantee your right to a lawyer for lesser crimes.

Do legal aid offices have their own lawyers?

Some legal aid offices have their own staff lawyers, and others operate with volunteer lawyers. Note that people do not have a right to a free lawyer in civil legal matters. I have been accused of a crime, and I cannot afford a lawyer.

Do lawyers use ads?

In some ways, yes, ads are useful. However, always be careful about believing everything you read and hear — and nowhere is this truer than with advertisements. Newspaper, telephone directory, radio, television, and Internet ads, along with direct mail, can make you familiar with the names of lawyers who may be appropriate for your legal needs. Some ads also will help you determine a lawyer’s area of expertise. Other ads will quote a fee or price range for handling a specific type of “simple” case. Keep in mind that your case may not have a simple solution. If a lawyer quotes a fee, be certain you know exactly what services and expenses the charge does and does not include.

What to do if you have a lawyer?

So the answer to your question is, if you have a lawyer, ask them what you can do to speed things along. But keep in mind, you don’t want to worr. Continue Reading.

How to know if a lawyer wins or loses?

Their cases are dismissed. If you want to know if this is a lawyer who wins, or a lawyer who settles, or a lawyer who loses, look at all the lawyer’s cases. Read the judge’s orders. Read the outcome of the cases. Lawsuits usually take a long time — years — to be resolved.

Why do civil cases go to trial?

In my experience, civil cases go to trial because someone miscalculated. Verdicts don't come on where both sides think “well, that's pretty much where we thought it would be.” One side has miscalculated based on either the law, or the value of the case with respect to damages. There are occasional cases that “have to try,” because of a legitimate disagreement over the value of something, for example the “pain and suffering” in a particular case, or the non-economic value of scarring.

Why do lawyers recommend settling cases?

So in the end, the reason attorneys recommend settling, is because it is more likely to final, to end stress, stop burning time and cash that could go to more productive things in the client’s life.

Where can I find my lawsuits?

Lawyers also file lawsuits in federal court. You can find their cases on Public Access to Court Electronic Records — “PACER”. Open an account and learn how to navigate the PACER website. PACER charges a modest fee for this access — 10 cents a page. But those add up. My personal quarterly PACER bill is hundreds of dollars, because I look up a lot of cases. Be careful.

Can you win and lose in a criminal case?

You cannot. There is no such list. In addition, while there are clear wins and losses in some cases, in many cases there are not. For example, let’s say one person is suing another for $1 million. The case goes forward and the jury gives a verdict of $250,000. That’s a pretty big win. If the lawyer tries criminal cases and the prosecutor wants the death penalty but the defense lawyer gets life in prison. That is a pretty big win. So winning and losing in the law is not so straight forward.

Can you check a lawyer's won record?

It is extraordinarily unfair to the people that you cannot check the Won/Loss record of a lawyer before hiring them. Dishonest lawyers have set the system up that way to cheat the people out of justice. If a criminal lawyer loses 100% of his cases then you will know that there is something wrong with him, like he’s a crook who works for the police and colludes with the courts. That is exactly what happened to me when I hired crooked attorney Daniel Grow of South Haven, Michigan. He loses all of his medical marijuana cases so that his friends, the crooked cops of SWET, can confiscate their prop

Why are attorneys disciplined?

Attorneys can be disciplined for various reasons - from failing to pay their bar dues to misappropriating client funds to gross ethical violations. Some attorneys who have been disciplined are no longer eligible to practice law.

What happens if an attorney is sued?

If a complaint is made against an attorney, the state's organization will investigate the claim and determine whether or not the attorney has violated any ethical rules. If so, the organization will discipline the attorney as appropriate.