Facing a criminal charge for the first time no matter where you are can be nerve wracking and stressful.  Right after you get arrested or receive a subpoena is when you should begin thinking about finding a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.  Even if you choose to represent yourself, consulting with an attorney will help you to understand the nature of the charges that are being brought against you.  In addition, you should expect to learn what type of plea bargains to expect, what types of defenses that you can use legally in your situation, what is likely to happen if the case goes to trial and you are convicted, and learn about any pretrial motions that may be brought to the court in order to improve your situation or maybe even dismiss the charges against you.

How Much Will a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Cost?

First of all, if this is your first criminal charge, the time to economize is not when choosing a defense attorney.  Criminal charges are serious business and if you are convicted or do end up pleading guilty, even a misdemeanor conviction will show up on any criminal background check that you may need to get an apartment or a job.  Unless you really don't care about these things, you will need good representation.

The cost of a private Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer will depend upon the nature of the charges that are filed against your.  More complex felony charges will always require a larger retainer.  Retainers for felony charges often start around $5k - $10k and can be upwards of $25,000 for grave charges such as homicide and rape.  You will also be responsible for any costs involved such as hiring private investigators and expert witnesses.  Any expert witnesses that you require if your case goes to trial will significantly increase the cost of your retainer.

The best retainer contracts and agreements for criminal attorneys are those that involve one up front payment.  This may not always be possible for you to afford in this manner, but be leery of any retainer contracts that will involve additional payments if your case happens to go to trial.  A high percentage of appeals that happen each year occur because someone felt forced to enter a guilty plea after not being able to afford the additional retainer required to go to trial.  

While cost may be one of the main things on your mind, it should never be the first thing you discuss with an attorney you are considering hiring.  Discussing cost up front will tend to give the attorney a negative view of you which is not a good thing when you are relying on someone for help with your situation.

Referrals - If you have any attorneys or other professionals that you network with in your life, its a good idea to ask them for referrals for criminal defense lawyers.  Word of mouth is still the most powerful way to find out about good attorneys in your area.  Just because someone has the advertising budget to be able to afford plastering their picture everywhere, doesn't mean that they are a good attorney.  If you are embarrassed by the fact that you have criminal charges pending, you can always say the referral is for a friend.

Local Bar Association - If you don't know anyone who would know of good criminal defense lawyers, you can contact your local Bar Association for referrals to attorneys in your area.  You will want to let them know what area of criminal law you are looking for as white collar crimes need a different skill set then say assault charges.

Online Directories - There are many different online directories available that criminal defense attorneys use to get publicity.  This is very similar to going through the yellow pages and choosing an attorney.  You will need to spend time interviewing these attorneys to make sure they are what you are looking for.

State charges or Federal charges - It is important when choosing a defense attorney that you choose someone with the appropriate legal skills for the charges you are facing.  

Contrary to what most people believe, on average the typical public defender actually offers better representation than the typical private lawyer.  To use a court appointed attorney you must meet income qualification standards, but if you choose to, you can have excellent representation for free.  The largest factor that makes public defenders generally better on average is experience.  Public defenders accumulate experience in trying many cases in many different areas of criminal law.  Unlike private attorneys who's firms may only take a certain percentage of criminal cases.  Like any profession, there are good and bad seeds of any experience range as well as price range.  The important thing is that you feel comfortable working with the attorney you choose.  If you do not, it is your right and responsibility to acquire different counsel.  It is pretty much impossible to appeal a case based on the fact that you don't like your attorney after you've already been convicted.  Be proactive in your own defense.