How Much Does a Criminal Defense Attorney Cost?

If you have been charged with a crime and are facing heavy fines or prison time, then you need a criminal defense lawyer to represent you. However, you shouldn’t hire the first defense attorney you come across, you have to make sure that they specialize in the crime with which you were charged. You also want to make sure that they have the skills and experience necessary to give you the best chance of a favorable outcome.

Of course, one important question to ask yourself is how much a criminal defense attorney will cost you. There are a lot of variables and pricing arrangements available, which is why a criminal lawyer in Houston recommends that you find the one that suits you best.

The Cost of a Criminal Defense Attorney

The price of a defense attorney varies based on how they charge you. Some attorneys use hourly billing while others use case billing. The differences are as follows:

Hourly Billing

As the name says, these attorneys bill their clients by the hour. Hourly rates can vary from $150 to $275 an hour. The good thing about hourly billing is that you don’t have to pay a lot if the case gets resolved quickly, so if you think that you have a good shot at a quick conclusion, you should hire an attorney who uses this fee structure.

The downside is that hourly billing can get very expensive if the case goes on for a long time. Also, some attorneys may try to extend the case longer than necessary to boost their fees. Fortunately, professional and ethical lawyers will give their clients an honest estimate of how long they think the case will last. That allows clients to decide if they want to use the attorney or not.

Case Billing

With this method, lawyers charge a fixed fee upfront that doesn’t change regardless of how many hours the lawyer devotes to the case. The benefit of this method is that the client knows how much the attorney will cost, so they know whether they can pay or not. The disadvantage is that the client may feel ripped off if the case gets resolved early, but they paid a large fee upfront.

In some cases, an attorney might refund some of the fee, but that is not guaranteed, so you should ask the attorney if they offer that service before you hire them. Also, the fee is usually just for the pretrial phase; if the case goes to trial, you might have to pay an additional fee. A fixed fee might start at about $1500 for most cases.

Factors That Affect The Attorney’s Fee

It can be difficult to give an exact number for what a criminal defense lawyer might cost because the following factors affect their rate:

The Attorney’s Experience Level – As you might expect, a more experienced attorney is more expensive. However, that doesn’t mean you should choose a cheaper, less-experienced attorney because the more experienced one might give you a better chance of success.

The Complexity of the Case – Criminal defense lawyers tend to charge more for felonies than misdemeanors because the former is more complicated. A felony case might require more court appearances and preparation, which results in more billable hours.

Location – Attorneys cost more in some parts of the country than in others.

Choose The Right Attorney For You

A lot goes into your choice of defense attorney besides the cost. Make sure that all of their qualities are what you need to give you the best chance of a favorable outcome in your case. After all, your freedom is worth more than any lawyer’s fee.