Q: my friend was arrested in el paso. he had a friend's bike on his trailer, turns out that bike was stolen.
my friend was charged with theft over 2500 under 30000. how do i go about finding a good lawyer that wont cost us our houses and everything?
A: The first step is to figure out what it is worth to you to maximize your chances. If the person has no priors, the offense is a State Jail Felony punishable by 6 months to 2 years in State Jail and a fine up to $10,000. Perhaps the worst part of a conviction is being forever marked as a felon and a thief. So what is that worth to you? Would you lose your job, or your house, or your car, or your spouse, or custody of your kids? What is that worth? There is no wrong answer to these questions. The answer will be different for everyone.
A: You should really just consult with a few, ask them their experience and how they would approach the case. At the end of the day, like anything else, you often get what you pay for. A good lawyer will spend time working and investigating the case.
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.