Learn How to Prevent Hiring a Bad Criminal Defense Attorney in Los Angeles County, CA
I thought this was a topic that needed to be addressed because I'm seeing time and time again people are hiring an alleged great defense attorney for a criminal case they have pending in Los Angeles county.
However, as it often turns out, number one, they don't even know who they're hiring. I was just talking to someone who was crying because their son was in horrible trouble and they had hired an attorney, and I said to them, who did you hire? They don't even know who they hired. Some of these attorneys are:
- posting advertisements on the internet,
- putting their face on there and maybe their credentials, but
- those attorneys are not even handling any cases.
Mill Law Firms
We call these “mill firms.” These firms are very dangerous because, first of all, the attorney that is on there probably hasn't seen the inside of a courtroom ever.
They're putting a bunch of information on there about themselves and they're not the ones who are handling the case.
All that happens is, you call in, you get a person who ropes you in who is just answering calls and then you don't even know who your attorney is.
You think you're hiring this great experienced attorney, when in reality, you're hiring some young new attorney who doesn't know anything about criminal defense.
Case Example
I was in court the other day and I was watching this young attorney who didn't know what he was doing on a criminal case, didn't know what to say — meanwhile, the poor defendant is sitting in there.
When it came time to fill out the waiver forms to plead guilty, this attorney didn't even know how to fill out the waiver forms, so he was having the prosecutor fill the waiver forms out. Wonderful!
That's perfect for the client — and I'm being sarcastic right now! The defense attorney is the one who needs to take command of the case.
This attorney was just filling in for some other attorney at the most critical point of the defense in a criminal case, during the plea in the case.
So, don't be tricked by these attorneys who are advertising. They're not actually doing the cases. As soon as you hear that somebody else is going to be dealing with your case, that's a problem.
Hedding Law Firm Has Decades of Experience in Los Angeles
In my firm, for example, I'm Ronald D. Hedding. My father is Ronald W. Hedding and then I have an associate who works with us. All of us handle these cases. We've been:
- practicing each for over 25 years, and
- we have a lot of experience handling criminal defense cases,
- we're the one who handle the cases.
Especially, even in an emergency situation where you had to get somebody to stand in for you, you just continue the case, but you don't try to enter a plea on behalf of the client.
So, make sure that whoever you're hiring is actually in business, going to court, taking care of the case and is responsible for your case.
If you hire the Hedding Law Firm, Ron D. Hedding is going to be responsible, ultimately, for the outcome in your case.
Even though my father might work on the case, my associate, Brian Smith, may work on the case, we're all working together as a team and we all have a lot of experience in criminal defense.
That's what you've got to have. You can't be in a circumstance where your case is handed over to some young attorney who doesn't know what they're doing and is going to put you in a bad position.
I can't tell you how many cases I've taken over because other attorneys didn't keep their clients informed, didn't know what they were doing, and basically, the client in the middle of the representation realized their attorney wasn't helping them and they had been tricked.
Do Your Homework Before Retaining a Lawyer
Don't fall prey to this. Just because somebody has advertising dollars doesn't mean they know what they're doing. The two do not equate.
There are some great attorneys who are advertising — like myself and other defense attorneys
But you have to make sure you do a little bit of homework. Make sure these attorneys have experience, know what they're doing and are actually working in the criminal courts in Los Angeles county.
If you or a loved one needs a great criminal defense attorney with a lot of experience who's practiced now in Los Angeles county since the early 1990s, pick up the phone.
Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. I stand at the ready to help you.
Hedding Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm located in the Los Angeles County at 16000 Ventura Blvd #1208 Encino, CA 91436.
We represent clients throughout Southern California courts, including LA County, Orange County, Ventura County, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Riverside, and San Bernardino.
Contact us for a free case evaluation at (213) 542-0979.
