When seeking the best criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles, it's not just about finding someone with the right qualifications. It's about finding someone you can truly connect with on a personal level.  This personal connection is more than just a formality's a foundation of trust and comfort, assuring you that your best interests are truly at heart.

That's why I think it's so important when choosing an attorney to sit down and meet with them face-to-face.  Go in with a list of questions that are on your mind, listen to the attorney, and see how they interact with you because that same attorney is going to be interacting with the prosecutor and judge on your case, the court staff and personnel, and a lot of this business.

I've been doing it for twenty-five years. It ultimately comes down to relationships, connections, and how you present yourself. If people like and respect you, then that will obviously translate into the best results for your clients.

A lot of cases, though, are dictated by the strength of the defense in the case.  If you've got a good defense and you have a good defense attorney who can utilize the tools necessary to exploit the defense, then you're going to be put in a strong position.  Additionally, your attorney must be able to negotiate effectively.

Negotiation is a key characteristic in criminal defense. Often, prosecutors hold the evidence against a client, making it crucial to strategize for damage control and potential case reduction or dismissal. A skilled negotiator can help you avoid county jail or prison.  Therefore, negotiation skills are a crucial factor when choosing a criminal defense attorney, as they provide you with a sense of security in your attorney's ability to handle your case effectively.

Experience in a Local Criminal Courthouse

You also want somebody who has experience in the court where your case is pending. The judges run courthouses, the District Attorney's office, the City Attorney's office, and, obviously, the court staff in the particular courtroom where your case is pending.

So, hiring an attorney who has practiced there, who has connections there, inroads there, and experience there really puts you in the best position to get the best result in your criminal case, especially in Los Angeles.  It's a tough system, but with a locally experienced attorney, you can navigate it with confidence.

It can sometimes be bureaucratic due to the volume of cases that pass through each courtroom's doors. Now, Sacramento has made some decisions and closed almost half of the courts in Los Angeles County, resulting in consolidation among the remaining courts, which has made the process even more bureaucratic to a degree. This means that cases may take longer to be heard, and there may be more pressure on the remaining courts and their staff.

So, you have to know what the structure of the prosecutor's office is — who to talk to, how to talk to them, what to present.  These are all characteristics of an attorney who has practiced in Los Angeles for a long time, who has taken the path and been successful, that you're about to embark upon.  Therefore, it's crucial to have someone with experience in the criminal courthouse where your case is pending.

Attorney Who Is Likable

It's important to find a likable attorney. You should feel comfortable with them and believe that they will be well-liked by other attorneys, prosecutors, and judges. In Los Angeles criminal defense, likability can play a significant role in negotiations and in the perception of your case. A likable attorney can help ensure that your case is viewed favorably, giving you a reason to be optimistic about your case's outcome.

I will say, though, that it doesn't matter how likable your attorney is if the case is going to go to trial, because you really don't need to negotiate with the prosecutor and the judge in that case. However, you do have to interact with the jury, and if the jury doesn't like the attorney, sometimes you can take that out on the client.

Still, I think likability even seeps into a scenario where you're going to take the case to trial and try to beat the prosecutors because you really want to convince that jury of your position and your arguments. Sometimes, some of these criminal cases are very close, and what tips it over the edge is your attorney's skill and how they interact with a jury in trying to convince them of the issues that are the center of your particular case.

Experience Dealing With Your Type of Case

So, you really get a feel when you're trying to find the best criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles that you want somebody who you really feel good about.  That's why you definitely need to meet with them face-to-face and get a good sense of them, as well as someone who has a strong presence in the court where your case is pending.  Obviously, experience goes without saying.

You must have that, and you also need to possess the necessary skills in the area being addressed.  In other words, if it's a sex crime case, if it's a murder case, your attorney has to have experience dealing with those types of cases because there are special nuances in each particular case, such as the need for expert witnesses in a murder case or the delicate nature of evidence in a sex crime case. There are also special political concerns that you have to have, like the public perception of the case or the potential impact on the community.

Whether it's a gun case or a domestic violence case, each type of crime in a criminal case brings with it its own issues that have to be dealt with in order to get the best result through the best criminal defense attorney.