7 Reasons Why a Criminal Defense Lawyer Might Reject Your Case
Criminal defense lawyers get paid to provide legal representation for people accused of committing a crime. And most individuals go through the process of filing a lawsuit in the hopes of receiving compensation or justice. A criminal defense attorney may represent a client accused of anything from traffic infraction to drug trafficking, embezzlement, theft, or murder. However, lawyers have ethical standards they must adhere to and follow. Therefore, not all attorneys will take on your case. In very unusual circumstances, they may decide to reject your claim.
Majority of Attorneys Have Turned Down Your Case
New legal representation may be hesitant to take on your case for two reasons. One is the risk of being held liable for any mistakes made by the previous team and the excessive expectations you may have set for them.
Conflict of Interest
A criminal defense lawyer may refuse to represent you if there is a conflict of interest. A row of interest happens when an attorney gets into a scenario where they may represent two sides in the same lawsuit. In addition, a conflict of interest may exist if your lawyer has personal or professional ties to one of the parties involved in your case.
Expiration of The Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations specifies the maximum time you have to commence civil or criminal legal procedures from the date of an alleged crime. Jurisdictions have different statutes of limitations on when a victim may file a lawsuit against a suspect. In most cases, the amount of time allowed under a statute of limitations depends on the seriousness of the crime.
Admission to a Heinous Crime
Although attorneys may promise to preserve the confidentially with a client or potential client, they may deny representation if the individual is guilty and displays no remorse. For example, an ethical defense attorney may refuse to represent a client who freely confesses to raping or killing someone.
The Firm Cannot Profit Financially From Your Situation
Taking a lawsuit to trial comes at a significant expense. Therefore, for a lawyer to accept your case, the potential reward must be greater than the costs associated with prosecuting the case. A lawyer may need to spend as much as $50,000 to $100,000 or more to pursue a claim. And that figure rises in proportion to the lawyer’s level of expertise and track record of achievement. Therefore, a lawyer will not take a case on contingency if the expense of anticipated depositions exceeds the expected return.
Your Case is Weak
Your first concern should be to find out how strong your case is when consulting a lawyer. A law firm won’t take on your case if they don’t believe they have a good chance of winning since it would reflect poorly on their reputation. Lawyers rely heavily on their reputations since a solid reputation may bring in new business, while a poor one can drive away existing customers.
A Conviction That the Accused is Guilty
An attorney may decline to represent a client if the lawyer has reasonable grounds to suspect wrongdoing on the client’s part and if representing the client would violate professional ethics and the lawyer’s morals.
Even though it may seem impossible, you may find a lawyer who will represent your interests in court. Therefore, don’t rule out going to court until you’ve exhausted all other avenues of resolution. An attorney has a better chance of finding hidden avenues of compensation. Some reputed law firms like Gurion Legal will take your case even if other law firms have rejected your case previously. Since some lawyers are dedicated to bringing justice to the victim more than anything.