re: What's it like being a defense attorney, and what kind are you?

I don’t know. I didn’t make the claim. I don’t know if that was your opinion or the opinion of a doctor you hired to evaluate them.

Both. Don’t forget the non-LOP doctors that discharge these folks with Tylenol and ice.

Joshjrn

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A couple of years ago at an alumni function I heard him say that if someone calls him and tells him that he was arrested for a felony crime, he tells them he cannot speak to them until they pay him a $10K retainer. He said he tells them he doesn’t want to hear or discuss a details until he gets the 10K.

I don’t know if he was just talking big or this is how all criminal attorneys are. I’ll never find out because first , I don’t plan on committing any felonies, and second, if I did, I wouldn’t call him.

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I imagine that would depend on location, but that's certainly not how it works in Louisiana, where we generally get paid a flat fee up front, not a retainer. Beyond that, quoting a fee without meeting with the client is usually a bad business decision. There are good and bad facts, and then there's knowing whether you need to charge an a-hole tax.

I'm sure they exist, but I've never met a criminal defense attorney that wouldn't do a basic consult gratis. Getting the potential client into the office is half the battle; no reason to forfeit that leverage.

Making a court appearance is another animal entirely. Even if you put a client on a payment plan, never let your name appear anywhere on the record unless you've received enough in hand to be begrudgingly content for the whole case. Everything you get paid after that point should be considered gravy. Needing the rest of the payment plan to cover your overhead is a rookie mistake.

As for fees, low level city or state shite will usually start around $1,500 for lower end attorneys at $5,000 for higher end. Guns and drugs with a legit attorney will run you around $12,500. Violent shite with warm bodies pushes $20k. Cold bodies are $25k-$50k as long as death isn't on the table and it's not too salacious.

In federal court, multiply everything by about 10x.

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Ball park the Motta and Deridder trials

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Rephrase?

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I'm sure they exist, but I've never met a criminal defense attorney that wouldn't do a basic consult gratis

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Most here charge $250-350 for a consultation

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Ball park the Motta and Deridder trials

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That DR case wouldn't shock me if it went over $300k. Id listen to 400k.

Every day of that trial had 4-5 attorneys and multiple support staff. And their days didn't end when court did.

Adam Johnson and Todd Clemons are expensive individually. That lady had both and at least 1 associate from each

It started with family lawyers. They consider it a lost hour even if they aren't primarily an hourly type of firm. I kind of get it but it's really just a way to squeeze people and make them feel pot committed. Sunk cost fallacy and what not. The person thinks "I don't want to keep throwing away $250 every consult"

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Do you ever know your client is guilty but still have to defend them?

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The vast vast majority are guilty