3 ms·

Stepping back a bit, do people have a lawyer on call? I haven't had to use a lawyer for anything, but I don't have a lawyer when it comes to telling someone tha

by rexf 9y ago

Stepping back a bit, do people have a lawyer on call? I haven't had to use a lawyer for anything, but I don't have a lawyer when it comes to telling someone that they have to talk to my attorney first.

kemiller2002 9y ago
It's a tactic to get them to back off. Telling them you want a lawyer present gives you time to find one before they start interrogating you. Even if you are arrested and you need someone else to find one for you, it stops them from being able to pull unethical/illegal tactics to get you to confess to things you shouldn't.
- pavel_lishin 9y ago
  > It's a tactic to get them to back off. Telling them you want a lawyer present gives you time to find one before they start interrogating you. I don't think that's accurate. It's not a short-term tactic - it's a strategy. And it doesn't give you time before they start interrogating you - it helps ensure that you don't have to be interrogated at all.
- ghamrick 9y ago
  I would posit that it is a strategy as well, sort of like calling a bluff. If you have committed a crime, let them charge you. If you yell 'lawyer' and they leave, it is likely you are not chargeable, at least at that time. Might want to google 'lawyers' in the interim though....
lobotryas 9y ago
You don't need a layer "on call" to tell someone that you will have an attorney get in touch with then. You then go online and find yourself council. This was one of the points of the article.
- noobhacker 9y ago
  Have you done this before and do you have a sense what's the cost? If it costs $5,000 to have an attorney involved while I'm pretty sure that I'm just a witness, it may not be worth it.
  - Clubber 9y ago
    Lawyers are usually on an hourly rate. $200 - $500 an hour is what I've experienced, but I've never employed a criminal lawyer. Lawyers get expensive when they have to do trial because of the time the trial takes and all the discovery (research) that goes into it.
    - stronglikedan 9y ago
      > and all the discovery (research) that goes into it. Like researching how to try to convince their client to plea before the trial, even after they've collected their client's retainer that would cover the trial, and then get pissed at their client when the plea deal is refused for any reason (even a great one).
  - pnw_hazor 9y ago
    Initial consults before you are charged should be hourly rate. After you are charged many criminal defense attorneys require hefty upfront non-refundable payments. $25K for a non-violent felony charge would not be surprising if the attorney was good. Could easily be $100K if things are serious.

by rexf 9y ago

kemiller2002 9y ago

It's a tactic to get them to back off. Telling them you want a lawyer present gives you time to find one before they start interrogating you. Even if you are arrested and you need someone else to find one for you, it stops them from being able to pull unethical/illegal tactics to get you to confess to things you shouldn't.

pavel_lishin 9y ago
> It's a tactic to get them to back off. Telling them you want a lawyer present gives you time to find one before they start interrogating you. I don't think that's accurate. It's not a short-term tactic - it's a strategy. And it doesn't give you time before they start interrogating you - it helps ensure that you don't have to be interrogated at all.
ghamrick 9y ago
I would posit that it is a strategy as well, sort of like calling a bluff. If you have committed a crime, let them charge you. If you yell 'lawyer' and they leave, it is likely you are not chargeable, at least at that time. Might want to google 'lawyers' in the interim though....

lobotryas 9y ago

You don't need a layer "on call" to tell someone that you will have an attorney get in touch with then. You then go online and find yourself council. This was one of the points of the article.

noobhacker 9y ago
Have you done this before and do you have a sense what's the cost? If it costs $5,000 to have an attorney involved while I'm pretty sure that I'm just a witness, it may not be worth it.
- Clubber 9y ago
  Lawyers are usually on an hourly rate. $200 - $500 an hour is what I've experienced, but I've never employed a criminal lawyer. Lawyers get expensive when they have to do trial because of the time the trial takes and all the discovery (research) that goes into it.
  - stronglikedan 9y ago
    > and all the discovery (research) that goes into it. Like researching how to try to convince their client to plea before the trial, even after they've collected their client's retainer that would cover the trial, and then get pissed at their client when the plea deal is refused for any reason (even a great one).
- pnw_hazor 9y ago
  Initial consults before you are charged should be hourly rate. After you are charged many criminal defense attorneys require hefty upfront non-refundable payments. $25K for a non-violent felony charge would not be surprising if the attorney was good. Could easily be $100K if things are serious.