tampa military criminal lawyers

Whether you’ve already been charged with a crime and you’re going to be facing a court martial or you could be charged with a crime soon, it’s in your best interest to find a skilled military criminal defense lawyer. This isn’t your only option, as you could also represent yourself in court or stay with your court-appointed lawyer, but it’s without a doubt your best option.

Why is it such a good idea to hire a private military criminal lawyer, and why are you better off having one instead of going with another option? There are several reasons, which all come back to the age-old adage of “you get what you pay for.”

Considering the Consequences

First, let’s look at the situation you’re in and what could happen to you if you’re found guilty. Of course, it’s impossible to say what the exact consequences will be without more information on your case, but there are many potential consequences to keep in mind.

If you’re found guilty, you could lose your current job, and the guilty verdict will be a black mark on your record that takes you out of the hiring pool for other jobs in the future. You could also lose benefits that you’ve built up over your years of service, including your retirement plan, any housing benefits you had through the military, medical insurance and the bonus you received for enlisting. If the military paid for your education, you could end up needing to pay that back, as well.

All of the above are consequences you may or may not be facing. The point is that if you are found guilty, there could be serious repercussions, both financially and to your reputation. Your future earning potential could be much smaller and you could lose out on savings you had accumulated.

When you consider that, is it really worth it to save some money now by choosing a court-appointed lawyer who doesn’t give you the best chance at winning your case? The money you spend hiring your own private lawyer is an investment in your future.

The Benefits of a Private Military Criminal Defense Lawyer

There are many advantages that private lawyers have over their court-appointed counterparts, and these come into play before your case even starts.

The court can’t appoint a lawyer to you until you’re charged with a crime. But what if you suspect that a case is being built against you? If you decide you’ll use a court-appointed lawyer, you’re letting the prosecutor get a head start. You can hire a private lawyer to defend you at any time, regardless of whether you’ve been charged with anything yet. This means your lawyer can get to work right away on preparing your defense and may even get any potential charges dropped, saving you quite a bit of time and money.

If you get a court-appointed lawyer, you’re one of his many cases. That’s the nature of the job. He will have a heavy case load, and there’s no realistic way for him to prepare the best possible defense for you and all his other clients. He’ll do the best he can, but wouldn’t you rather have a private lawyer who can give your case the attention it deserves? Your private lawyer won’t be dealing with more cases than he can handle, and that means superior representation for you.

Finally, there’s the matter of experience, and it’s no contest. Private lawyers, on average, have far more experience than court-appointed lawyers, who are often doing that job to start their careers. The experience of a private lawyer will result in better investigative skills and a better defense strategy. One area where private lawyers usually have an even bigger experience advantage is in trial, since court-appointed lawyers may not have gone through many actual trials.

When your life and military career are on the line, you need the highest quality representation. With our 50-plus years of experience handling the toughest cases, we can give you the best chance at getting the case dismissed, avoiding charges entirely or getting a not guilty verdict.