how long before your court date to get a lawyer

Full Answer

Is it too late to get a lawyer before my court date?

You never know what a good attorney can do, even before your court date. Maybe she can convince the prosecutor not to file, maybe she can get the accusations reduced. Always best to have a lawyer up front, and, no it is not too late.

Is it time to make your concerns about your lawyer known?

If you recognize some or all of these issues in your relationship with your lawyer, it is probably time to make your concerns known. It can be hard to know whether the problem is with your attorney or something bigger, such as a bogged down court system or uncooperative third parties.

How long does it take to get a trial date?

If you are being held in custody on a misdemeanor charge, you are entitled to a trial date no later than 30 days following the date you were arraigned or entered a plea, whichever is later. If you are not being held in custody, the court must set trial within 45 days following your arraignment or plea.

How long does it take for a lawyer to return calls?

Your calls aren’t returned within 48 hours (provided you’re respectful of the lawyer’s time, major holidays, and don’t call several times a week with “just another quick question”). You are asked to provide documents you have already provided or to fill out forms you’ve already filled out.

Why is it important to have an attorney at your first court appearance?

What happens if you show up in court on September 9th?

Is it too late to hire a criminal defense attorney?

About this website

Is it ever too late to get a lawyer?

It is never too late to hire an attorney. A good lawyer can get prepared rather quickly. This is not legal advice or counsel to any specific case or matter that you may have pending in any court.

How quickly should my lawyer respond?

A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return.

Why do lawyers not take cases?

A lawyer will consider the possible damages that may be awarded in the best case scenario. If these damages are less than the fee that he or she would likely collect, the lawyer will likely not take the case and recommend that the client not pursue it.

Why do lawyers take so long to settle a case?

The reasons a case can progress slowly can be summed up into three general points: Your case is slowed down by legal or factual problems. Your case involves a lot of damages and substantial compensation. You have not reached maximum medical improvement from your injuries (this will be explained below)

Why is it important to have an attorney at your first court appearance?

Having an attorney at your first court appearance, usually called arraignment, is important. This is when the court will establish conditions of release, like bail. These conditions are more likely to be favorable if properly argued by an adequately prepared attorney. More.

What happens if you show up in court on September 9th?

If 9 September is your trial date and you show up in court asking for more time to go look for an attorney, the court will want a very good explanation of what you have been doing the last few months to look for an attorney. If you have continued the case before, the court may even tell you that there would not be another continuance.

Is it too late to hire a criminal defense attorney?

It's rarely too late to hire a criminal defense attorney. There are a number of experienced Washington attorneys who responded to your post, and any one of them would represent you well. Talk to your parents about giving one a call asap.

How long does it take to get information from a prosecutor?

Then, you will be arraigned on the Information. The prosecutor must file the Information within 15 days of the date you are held to answer at the preliminary hearing.

How long does it take to get a trial in California?

Both the United States and California Constitutions protect your right to a speedy trial. If you are being held in custody on a misdemeanor charge, you are entitled to a trial date no later than 30 days following the date you were arraigned or entered a plea, whichever is later. If you are not being held in custody, the court must set trial within 45 days following your arraignment or plea.

How long does it take to get a preliminary hearing?

You have a right to have a preliminary hearing within 10 court days of your initial arraignment. Even if you waive your right to have a speedy preliminary hearing within the initial 10 days, the court must still set your hearing within 60 days of your arraignment unless you waive this right as well. If the judge finds that there is probable cause ...

What is the intermediate stage between arraignment and trial called?

In felony cases, there is an intermediate stage between your initial arraignment and trial called a preliminary hearing where the district attorney must present sufficient evidence to convince a judge that there is probable cause that you committed the crimes you have been charged with.

How long does it take to get a speedy trial?

If you waive this right, your trial must start within 10 days from when the trial date is set.

How to resolve an infraction after arrest?

After you are arrested, you will have to wait before going to court. Resolving an infraction is generally an informal process. If you wish to plead guilty, many infractions can be handled via mail, telephone or online quickly without having to appear in court. Your citation or notice will tell you if you can resolve your case without ...

What happens when you are arraigned for a felony?

Some cases are highly complex and involve more court appearances. If you are facing a felony charge, you will be asked to enter a plea to criminal complaint. At the arraignment, you will: Be informed of the charges against you; Asked to enter an initial plea (usually “not guilty”);

What to do when you go to court?

When you go to court, tell the judge that truth, that you could not afford to hire an attorney, even though you tried to find one. And, request that the Pubic Defender be appointed to your case.

Why do people wait so long to get counsel?

Many judges are annoyed when people wait until the last minute to get counsel because too many people use it as a technique to stall and remain out on bond longer. You have a right to counsel but the court does not have to give you a long time to obtain one. The Commonwealth will not be prejudiced by a brief continuance in order for your court-appointed attorney to catch up - but it will depend on whether the judge is inclined to grant your motion. Good luck.

Is there a trial date for a bond?

It does NOT sound like the upcoming court date is a Trial date. More likely it is a preliminary hearing. Nevertheless, the Court told you to get an attorney and you did not. So, they will have to appoint an attorney or public defender but they might revoke your bond for waiting until the last minute. Then, your attorney would have to file a new bond motion...

How to know when it's time to change your lawyer?

How to Know When it's Time to Change Lawyers. It usually begins with a lack of communication. Your calls go unanswered and you hear nothing about your case for weeks or months. Maybe you get the sense that the lawyer's files are in disarray, or that he or she doesn’t remember the details of your matter from one meeting to the next.

Should I run my attorney's name through the bar association?

You hopefully ran your attorney's name through the website of your state's bar association before hiring him or her, but now might be a good time to do so again. Even if your attorney is in good standing now, any past suspensions or other disciplinary actions for issues like substance abuse or misuse of client funds should give you pause.

Can you fire a lawyer before hiring another lawyer?

However, there are a few issues to keep in mind: Unless absolutely necessary, don’t fire one lawyer before you have identified the next one you plan to hire. If your case has already begun, the judge may not let your old lawyer leave the case until a new lawyer replaces him or her. Seek referrals for your next lawyer.

How long does it take to get a trial date?

Well, it depends on your current status. If you’ve been released pending trial, the court will need to set a trial date within 45 days after your plea or arraignment. You always have the option of waiving your right to a speedy trial so you can give your lawyers more time to prepare.

How long does it take to get arraigned?

Once you’ve been indicted or arrested on criminal charges, you’ll need to wait for your arraignment. This will normally take up to 72 hours. The arraignment is a vital part of the process since it allows the defendant to find out what they’ve been charged with.

How long does a felony stay on your record?

Felony convictions are a life sentence, whether you are given probation or sentenced to prison. A felony conviction will remain on your criminal record for life unless you can somehow convince a judge to grant you an expungement.

How long does a felony case last?

This is typically the longest step of the process. Depending on the circumstances, it may last as long as 3 months to several years.

What to do after arraignment?

After the arraignment, you will begin preparing for a future court date, time in jail, or probation. Before making a decision about your plea, you’ll want to speak to your lawyer first. Depending on the situation, it may be best to plea guilty.

Do criminal convictions stay with you?

Unless you are willing to go through the expungement process, your criminal convictions will remain with you forever. Every time you apply for a job, housing, government amenity, you will be reminded of your criminal conviction (s).

Why is it important to have an attorney at your first court appearance?

Having an attorney at your first court appearance, usually called arraignment, is important. This is when the court will establish conditions of release, like bail. These conditions are more likely to be favorable if properly argued by an adequately prepared attorney. More.

What happens if you show up in court on September 9th?

If 9 September is your trial date and you show up in court asking for more time to go look for an attorney, the court will want a very good explanation of what you have been doing the last few months to look for an attorney. If you have continued the case before, the court may even tell you that there would not be another continuance.

Is it too late to hire a criminal defense attorney?

It's rarely too late to hire a criminal defense attorney. There are a number of experienced Washington attorneys who responded to your post, and any one of them would represent you well. Talk to your parents about giving one a call asap.