5 Tips for Finding a Good Domestic Assault and Family Violence Lawyer

33 percent of women will face some type of domestic violence situation in their lives. In 2018, 174 Texan women were killed in domestic violence incidences, which was an increase of 40 from 2017.

For some, these can be terrifying statistics to see, considering some women may be subject to unnecessary violence. And on the other hand, there’s the reality of being falsely accused of domestic violence as well.

In either case, you’ll probably need a good assault and family violence lawyer to get you through the tough legal battles.

Don’t know where to start? Then here are five tips for finding an excellent lawyer to help with charges in domestic violence in Texas.

1. Look at Their Experience

It’s not that lawyers with fewer years of experience are necessarily worse at doing their jobs. But the more years they have under their belt, the more likely an attorney will handle your case in a more streamlined manner.

For example, a lawyer with numerous years of experience will have handled many cases that are similar to yours, if not identical. This means if they’ve run into issues before, they’ve learned how to successfully navigate them. As a result, you get someone who understands how to get your case moving in your favor.

So don’t just look at the years of experience a lawyer has; you need to look at what fields they have experience in as well. For instance, if they have lots of experience in criminal law but not family law, they might actually be the best choice for a domestic violence case.

2. You Want Good Availability

Domestic violence is always scary and unpredictable; you need to find someone who is on your side, and quickly. A good domestic violence lawyer will be able to answer your calls at any time of day or night, even if it’s 2:00 am.

This is especially important if you’re afraid of being falsely accused at any given time. You need an attorney who can respond promptly when you’ve been arrested.

A response time of five minutes vs five hours can mean all the difference in you sitting in jail for the night. For this reason, you need to pick a lawyer who has good availability and accessibility. You don’t want someone who isn’t dedicated to responding to their clients in a timely fashion.

Make sure you ask them what their typical response time is. From there, you can decide whether or not that’s acceptable.

3. You Need Someone Who’s Understanding

In many cases of domestic violence, it can cause a real divide and alienate you from your loved ones. This can be an incredibly tough time to go through, and at times, you may have no one in your corner.

When you choose a domestic violence lawyer, not only do you need someone who’s skilled at what they do, but also very sympathetic to their clients. This person might be the only one on your side, so you want someone who is willing to listen to you.

Some attorneys may be in the business just for the money, and they may not care one bit about their clients. It’s already stressful enough going through a domestic violence case on your own, much less handling the legal aspect of everything.

For this reason, it’s vital you seek an attorney who is sympathetic and is a good listener.

4. Upfront Fees and Charges

Of course, with any service you seek, you want to make sure the person’s upfront about fees and charges. This isn’t any different when working with a lawyer.

You want to pick someone who can answer all your questions about fees and charges in a transparent manner. For example, you need to know if they ask for a retainer and what it covers. Also, you need to find out whether they charge an hourly or flat fee for your entire case.

In addition, you should also ask about any additional charges you may incur. These can include a fee for each time the attorney appears in court for you. Other factors include filing, mailing, and copying fees.

If the lawyer you’re speaking to skirts the issue of fees and charges, then that may be a red flag that they want to try and sneak in hidden charges during your case.

5. Schedule an Initial Meeting

Let’s say you’ve vetted a few lawyers you’re interested in hiring. Before you make a commitment, make sure you schedule initial meetings with them first.

This is similar to conducting a job interview and picking the right candidate. A few lawyers might have the same qualifications all across the board, but chances are, one might work better than the others for you.

Initial consultations give you a good idea of how it’s like to work with each individual. You’ll get a taste of how they handle meetings with their clients.

For instance, you’ll see how attentive they are while you’re speaking. Do they brush off what you say, or do they acknowledge your words?

Having an in-person meeting is the best way to figure out if a lawyer is right for you or not. Always go with your gut instinct; if you don’t come out with a good feeling after this consult, don’t feel bad about looking at your other options.

Find a Good Assault and Family Violence Lawyer Today

Now you have five tips on finding a good assault and family violence lawyer. Whether you need help getting away from an abuser or if you’ve been falsely accused of domestic violence, you’ll have all the right resources to find the right attorney to defend your case.

Make sure you take action promptly, as every minute counts for these cases. It’s best to keep yourself and any children safe, away from the other party that’s involved.

If you need a good domestic violence defense attorney in Texas, then get in touch with us now.