Should you get an attorney that is at the courthouse everyday?
NO. It is understandable to believe that if the attorney is at the courthouse every day this will benefit your case. It seems like a daily relationship with the prosecutor could help your case. However, the opposite is true. If an attorney only focuses in on one courthouse, then the attorney has many cases before the same state’s attorney’s office. If the attorney fights hard for you, he will receive a hard time on all of his other cases. The attorney will do what he can, but he will not make moves that could offend the prosecutor.
Example:
I recently was hired by a client who said his current attorney would not file a motion because it would “piss-off” the prosecutor. The lawyer was more concerned with his relationship with the prosecutor than with the outcome of this client’s case.
Hire the best attorney, not necessarily the attorney closest to the Courthouse.
After 23 years of practicing law, I believe a person should hire the best attorney and not consider the attorney’s distance to the courthouse. If you were to hire a doctor, would you hire the closest doctor or the best?
Firsthand Experience:
I previously had a client’s case dismissed after I filed a Motion to Quash. Although I filed the motion, I did not have to do a hearing because the state’s attorney saw that I was likely going to win. The next week, I had another case involving the same state’s attorney. As I prepared for the hearing, he said to me: “What the fuck are you doing?” I said, “What?” He continued: “You’re going to do another motion after what I did for you last week?” I seriously thought he was joking. But, he was not.
I ended up doing my motion and having the case dismissed. But, this is a great example of how if you’re at a courthouse too much, it can hurt the client.
