Q: If we don't qualify for a public defender, how can we afford a lawyer?
My fiance and I are co-defendants in a criminal case out of Osage County, MO. I have been charged with 2 Class D Drug Possession felonies. My fiance has been charged with the same, along with a Class D Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (not federal) and a Class D Unlawful Use of a Firearm (but he never used it). As we both bonded out of jail, we are not eligible for a public defender. The most inexpensive retainer quoted to us has been $2500 per person. We are very low income, so how do we go about hiring a lawyer when the court date is a few weeks away?
A: You start making phone calls to relatives to see if anyone will help you. You can call some other attorneys but I don't think you'll find a competent one willing to engage for less than $2500.
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