FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
First, there is no charge for initial consultations, whether by phone or in person. Second, I set my fees according to the type of crime alleged (i.e., misdemeanor, felony or serious felony) and the scope of my employment (e.g., pre-trial investigation and negotiation, jury trial, appeal, etc.). Third, for pre-trial investigation and negotiation or for appeals, there is usually a minimum or flat fee charged. Fourth, for jury trials (which occur in fewer and fewer cases these days), there is a daily fee, for which a refundable deposit must be made in advance of trial. Fifth, additional costs for the services of necessary third parties such as licensed investigators, court reporters, polygraph examiners, psychologists, scientific experts and legal researchers are usually charged separately. Finally, for all fees and costs other than those for trial, payment plans are offered. Checks, cash or major credit cards are accepted.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I attend anywhere between 20 to 30 hours of classroom or seminar time per year to stay current in my field. I study criminal law, evidence, trial advocacy, forensic science, witness psychology and epistemology (the philosophy of knowledge) to know and understand the most important principles and ideas of my line of work. I keep up with the new decisions of state and federal courts on a near-daily basis.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I started out of college as a paralegal working for a division head in the Washington State Attorney General's Office. Then, while attending law school on a full scholarship, I served as a lay administrative law judge for the State. Once licensed, I conducted a general private law practice in association with a well-established law firm and routinely accepted criminal cases on a court-appointed basis. I soon discovered that I really enjoyed trying criminal cases in front of juries. I took everything from traffic offenses to rapes and murders to juries. For a few years in my early 30's, I was jokingly called the "Trial King," because I was trying more cases to verdict than anyone else in the county. But recall that when Babe Ruth was the Home-Run King, he was also the Strike-Out King. My situation was similar. With experience came more subtlety and finesse. Eventually I won an award from the local bar association for being the Best Negotiator. That has conditioned my approach to criminal work ever since.