Why should I consult a lawyer?
I haven't been charged with anything, but I think I'm under investigation.
What should I do?
I'm in the military and can have a lawyer represent me for free.
Why should I consult a civilian lawyer?
How long will it take to resolve my case?
How much will it cost to hire you as my lawyer?
Can I pay in installments?
Do you accept payment by credit card?
Where do I send court-ordered payments for court costs, fines,
or restitution?
Why should I consult a lawyer?
You should consult a lawyer to find out what options you have in your case, regardless of whether you're charged with speeding or something more serious, like a felony. A lawyer can give you advice about your case based on his or her training and experience.
You should find out what your rights are, what choices you have available, and what the possible outcomes might be. A lawyer will be an advocate for you and your interests, both in and out of court.
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I haven't been charged with anything, but I think I'm under investigation. What should I do?
Don't talk about your case to any investigators or police officers. If you're in the military, don't talk with anyone in your command or chain-of-command about the allegations.
If you are questioned by anyone about your case, tell them you want to exercise your right to remain silent, and that you want to consult with a lawyer.
Consult with an attorney about your rights.
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I'm in the military and can have a lawyer represent me for free. Why should I consult a civilian lawyer?
A civilian lawyer often has more experience defending a wide variety of cases than the military lawyer you will be assigned. This is not to say the military lawyer is unskilled or doesn't care about your case. To the contrary, most military lawyers fight hard and have extensive courtroom training.
However, many civilian lawyers who defend servicemembers have more experience trying courts-martial, appealing courts-martial, and dealing with military commanders who make the decisions about your case.
A civilian lawyer can also bring an "outside opinion" to your case. He will be someone who isn't concerned about his military career, and will therefore not be concerned about angering the prosecutor, military judge, or military command.
If you do hire a civilian lawyer, you can keep your military lawyer on the case, and have a strong team defending you rather than one lawyer alone.
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How long will it take to resolve my case?
Every case takes a different amount of time to complete. Traffic cases are usually resolved faster than misdemeanors, which are usually resolved faster than felonies.
Many traffic cases can be resolved at the first or second court date. Misdemeanors can take several months to be completed. Felonies might take four or five months or more.
Courts-martial cases are generally resolved more quickly than civilian cases. Court-martial appeals can take many months, and even years from the time a person is court-martialed until his case is reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Regardless of the type of case you have, I will work diligently to resolve your case as quickly as possible, assuming that is what you want. However, many aspects of the criminal justice system, civilian and military, are outside the control of the defense lawyer. Despite his best efforts, cases are often delayed by prosecutors and judges.
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How much will it cost to hire you as my lawyer?
My initial consultation with you is free.
Every case is different, and there is no set fee schedule. When you hire a lawyer, you're paying for his time, which varies from case to case, and his expertise. As you can understand, a speeding ticket will cost less to handle than a DWI. A misdemeanor will cost less to defend than a felony. A special court-martial will cost less than a general court-martial.
In most cases I charge a flat fee that I will discuss with you upfront. I usually like to find out as much as possible about you and your case before setting a fee, so that I don't charge you too much for a case that doesn't take long to resolve.
The more information you can provide me in our initial conversation, the better I will be able to quote you a fair and reasonable fee. For example, if you have copies of your traffic tickets, warrants, investigations, charge sheets, or any other paperwork that you can discuss with me, it will improve the advice I can give you when we first discuss your case.
My fee will be separate and apart from any money you might owe to the State for costs of court, fines, or restitution. In North Carolina, the costs of court are $110 in District Court and $222 in Superior court. The amount of any fine varies, and restitution might not be applicable in your case. I do not accept payment of costs, fines, or restitution. Instead, they are paid directly to the Clerk of Court. See the question below regarding payment of costs, fines, and restitution.
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Can I pay in installments?
In most cases I require payment of at least a portion of my fee before I will be able to work on your case. After that, I'm willing to arrange payment in installments of the remainder of the fee.
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Do you accept payment by credit card?
Yes, but only through PayPal.com. You also may pay by money order, cashier's check, personal check, or cash.
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Where do I send court-ordered payments for court costs, fines, or restitution?
You will need go in person to pay at the Clerk of Court's Office or mail your payment to the Clerk of Court in the County where your case was resolved. I've listed here the addresses for the Clerks' Offices in the four counties in the Triangle where I practice most. You may pay your court costs, fines, and restitution by money order, cashier's check, or with cash. The Clerks' Offices do not accept personal checks or credit or debit cards. Also, you may not mail cash to the Clerks' Offices. If you mail your payment, be sure to include a note with your full name, court date, and case number so that the payment can be credited to your account.
Orange County Clerk of Court
Courthouse
106 E. Margaret Lane
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 245-2213
Durham County Clerk of Court
Judicial Bldg.
201 E. Main St.
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-6833
Chatham County Clerk of Court
Governmental Bldg.
12 East St., P.O. Box 369
Pittsboro, NC 27312
(919) 542-3240
Wake County Clerk of Court
P.O. Box 351
Raleigh, NC 27602-0351
(919) 755-4105
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* The answers given to the questions above are not intended to be considered legal advice. Nothing published on the website should be considered to be legal advice or the formation of an attorney-client relationship.
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