Q: Hello, I was wondering if anyone is willing to take a case regarding a murder defense.
Im looking for a lawyer that is willing to pro bono and help me beat my oldest sisters self defense charge regarding her being charged with murder. Is anyone available?
A:
If defended properly, a case like the one you described could end up consuming most of the attorney's attention for months if not years. If the attorney is not charging for that time then she will need to make up the difference in some other way, most likely by taking extra cases and working too much. Then your sister ends up with an attorney who is stressed out and overworked, which is obviously less than ideal considering that the result of this case will have profound consequences for how your sister spends the rest of her life.
If your sister can't afford an attorney then she should ask the court to appoint an attorney. The appointed attorney will be paid by the county. Also, most courts have a minimum level of experience required to accept a high-level felony appointment... so they might not appoint a great lawyer, but at least it will be someone who is seasoned. The only reliable way to get a great defense in a case like this is to hire an attorney, but expect to pay at least somewhere in the high 5 figures, perhaps low 6 figures depending on the complexity and the need for testifying experts.
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