Unfortunately, not all criminal defense lawyers are created equal. If you were appointed a public defender or you hired an attorney that doesn’t seem to be interested in your case, you might be considering hiring another lawyer. However, depending on how far along the case is and who is representing you, you might not be able to do so.
Defendants who hire their own attorneys have the right to discharge them without court approval, but with a public defender, you will have to convince a judge to dismiss your advocate. Most judges won’t approve a change of public defender without sufficient proof your attorney has been negligent in your case.
Likewise, your right to change lawyers will be weight against the prosecutor’s right to keep the case moving on schedule. For example, if a defendant wants to change attorneys on the eve of trial, a new attorney might only agree to represent the accused if the trial can be delayed for preparation of the case. The prosecutor might oppose the delay, especially if the prosecution witnesses will not be available to testify at a later date. A judge might deny the defendant’s request to delay the trial, which means the defendant would have to stay with the original attorney or risk bringing in a new, unprepared representative.
If you think you need a new, skilled Milwaukee criminal defense attorney, talk to Attorney Christopher J. Cherella about your case. He has more than 20 years of legal experience to offer your case. Throughout his career, he has successfully represented thousands of clients in criminal charges. Let us see what we can do for you.
Contact us at (414) 882-8382 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case review today.