Q: I was charged with a felony D- Possession of Controlled substance for sale.... Should I have a public defender help me?
I have heard bad reviews on public defenders. I am trying to avoid jail time. This incident happened in Nevada.
A: If you are indigent you can probably get the public defender to represent you. You say you cannot afford a lawyer, but have spoken with none so far, right? Then how is it that you cannot afford a lawyer if you do not know how much it might cost. Many offer free consultations nowadays, and you should at least find out whether you can afford a lawyer or not. This forum is made up entirely of private attorneys who charge for their services. You know that you are asking an attorney to respond. Really, what more can I tell you than you need to speak with a criminal defense attorney locally?
A: Sorry, you need to speak with a criminal defense attorney in Nevada.
A: You would need to hire an attorney that is licensed in Nevada. The good thing about public defenders is that you don't have to pay for them and they work in the same court all the time so they have a fairly decent relationship with the prosecutor and judges which can help with negotiation. The downside is they usually have a very high caseload. The problem with that is that they might not give your case the attention it deserves because they have too many cases to attend to. Your liberty interest is your most important right under the constitution and I say that it is worth the money to avoid the jail time. Free or cheap attorney sounds good right now but you may regret it later on.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
