This is a good question, and I'm sure that people are thinking about it. They're also probably asking themselves, well, if I get the best attorney, is that going to cost me an arm and a leg?
I wrote a book called The Art of the Perfect Defense. In it, I discuss some of the law firms in Los Angeles County and some of the strategies that some attorneys employ. The book is meant to help people pick the attorney they're looking for.
There's more than one attorney who could be your best attorney. I think you want to find somebody with local experience because LA is such a vast metropolis—38 courts and district Attorneys all over the place.
There's probably 1,200 DA's right now and you've got to have an attorney that knows their way around the LA court system, because one DA could be in a particular courthouse one day, and the next month, they could be transferred to a different courthouse. So, you've got to know all the DA's and who the supervisors are.
Los Angeles County is like an enormous bureaucracy. The District Attorney's office is like a giant corporation, so you have to understand as an attorney:
- what are their procedures,
- how they decide cases, and
- What is the proper protocol for dealing with a case?
Number one would be getting a local attorney. Of course, when I talk about this, I'm talking about it from the perspective that I've been practicing in LA County for almost 30 years.
So, I have a pretty good idea about how criminal cases are handled — how the District Attorney's office handles these cases. So, of course, I put myself in that elite category of attorneys who:
- been practicing for a long time,
- Understand the local court system,
- Understand how to win a criminal case and
- Understand what it takes to negotiate a criminal case if we decide to do that.
Attorney Who Knows the Judges and Prosecutors
So, if you're looking for the best criminal defense attorney, the number one thing is to hire an attorney who knows the Los Angeles court system.
To me, that attorney would be local—an attorney who always appears in the courts and knows the judges and prosecutors.
When I talk about the best criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles, I'm talking about it from your perspective. There could be great attorneys out there, but they rub you incorrectly.
When I meet with people, they tell me I met with that attorney. It looks like he's got good credentials, but he was a real jerk, didn't listen to my side of the story, and didn't want to hear what I had to say.
You have to feel comfortable with the attorney you're hiring. That's why, instead of just saying it's the best criminal defense attorney in LA, you want the best criminal defense attorney for you.
Negotiation with Prosecutor vs. Trial
Another big thing is that you've got to decide what you will do in the case. Are you going to negotiate it? Are you going to take it to trial? Do you hope to use some motion to win the case?
Fortunately, I've got all those skills. I take cases to trial all the time. I've done over 200 jury trials in LA County. I negotiate cases every day. I've negotiated thousands of cases.
My website now says that I've handled over 10,000 cases. I'm sure I've done at least that, probably more. When you're in court daily dealing with cases, those numbers add up when you've been doing it for almost 30 years.
I love what I do. I enjoy it. I think when you come and sit down with me, you will get a good feel for me. I'm here to help you, and I relate very well to different people.
Best Criminal Defense for California Crimes
Whether it be somebody trying to make their way in the world, a judge, or somebody in between. It doesn't matter. People are people. As a criminal defense attorney, I must fight for my clients and get them the best possible result. So, those are two big things:
- local attorney, crucial;
- attorney you feel comfortable with, crucial;
- skill in negotiating and skill in winning cases at a jury trial.
So, I think those are the three things right there. I've got a lot of skill doing jury trials. That's my favorite thing to do, and that's where my talent lies.
That's why I became a criminal defense attorney: I love to argue, fight, and champion my client's position.
If you or a loved one has a criminal case and are looking for the best criminal defense attorney for you specifically, pick up the phone. Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. I stand ready to help you.
We serve individuals in all Southern California courtrooms, including LA County, Orange County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, Hollywood, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Riverside, and San Bernardino.
