Criminal Defense Lawyers

How much does a federal criminal defense lawyer cost in New Hampshire

The Real Cost of a Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer in Houston

You Need the Best Lawyer You Can Get

There’s one reason you’re on this website: you’re looking for an elite criminal defense law firm, because you or someone you care about is facing federal criminal charges in Houston. Most law firms implement a cookie cutter strategy in order to fight your case, and save their own time. They don‘t look carefully at your situation – they simply want to move on to the next case. At Spodek Law Group, we leave no stone unturned. We do everything possible to win. Everything we do is focused on getting you results. We understand the difficult and challenges of going through a case. If you‘re accused of a crime, schedule a consultation with our criminal attorneys today.

Why Hiring the Right Lawyer is Crucial

Sorry if that didn’t make sense, let me explain further. Sometimes prosecutors will only be fair if you respond with force to them. Without an attorney advising you, you might accidentally plead guilty when you could‘ve won the case. The only way to truly know is to hire a private criminal defense attorney. At Spodek Law Group – we pride ourselves on taking a hands-on approach. It means researching the exact situation surrounding your case, and putting in the leg work to be familiar with every single intimate detail. Our firm has excellent work ethics, and we constantly hold firm meetings in order to discuss and address all of our cases. In the event of an emergency – we have a full team of lawyers available to help you.Regardless of how tough your situation is – we are here to help you. Our criminal defense lawyers work hard to have a solution for you, irrespective of the situation you find yourself in. Many clients are often embarrassed by their situation, and don’t speak openly about their alleged issue. We encourage open dialogue, and recommend full transparency – so we can give you the best possible legal advice.

Understanding the Costs

Wait, what did you say? You want to know how much hiring a federal criminal defense lawyer in Houston is going to cost? It’s a fair question, but also a tricky one, because there are so many variables involved. However, I’ll do my best to break it down for you.The biggest factors impacting cost are:

• The severity and complexity of the charges against you
• Whether your case goes to trial or is resolved through a plea bargain
• The experience level of the attorney you hire

Let’s look at each of these in more detail.

Severity and Complexity of Charges

Federal crimes run the gamut from relatively minor offenses like misdemeanor drug possession all the way up to serious felonies like racketeering, fraud, and even treason against the United States. Obviously, the more severe and complex the charges, the more work will be required of your defense attorney, and the higher the cost.Some examples of common federal charges and their potential penalties:

• Drug possession (21 USC 844) – Up to 1 year in prison, $1,000 fine for first offense
• Wire fraud (18 USC 1343) – Up to 20 years in prison, fines
• Racketeering (RICO) (18 USC 1961-1968) – Up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of assets, fines
• Treason (18 USC 2381) – Death, or at least 5 years in prison, $10,000 fine, ineligible for pardon

As you can see, the stakes get very high, very quickly when you’re dealing with federal charges. Your lawyer will need to mount an extremely vigorous defense commensurate with the severity of the allegations.

Trial vs. Plea Bargain

Around 90% of federal cases never go to trial, because prosecutors offer defendants the opportunity to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence. Plea bargains save the government the time and expense of a trial.However, that doesn’t mean your lawyer can just phone it in. Quite the opposite – they need to thoroughly investigate your case and prepare for trial in order to negotiate the best possible plea deal from a position of strength.If your case does go to trial, that adds exponentially more work in terms of:

• Interviewing and preparing witnesses
• Reviewing all evidence and discovery materials
• Researching case law and drafting motions
• Picking a jury
• The trial itself, which could last days or weeks for a complex case

All of this extra work gets very expensive, very quickly. While most lawyers would prefer to resolve your case through a plea if possible, they have to be ready to take it to trial if needed to get you the best outcome.

Attorney Experience Level

Like anything else, you get what you pay for when it comes to hiring an attorney. An inexperienced lawyer fresh out of law school may charge $200-300 per hour. A veteran federal criminal defense specialist could charge $500 per hour or more.While that cost difference is significant, it’s penny wise and pound foolish to simply go with the cheapest option when your freedom and future are at stake. An experienced federal criminal defense attorney knows all the ins and outs of:

• Federal rules of evidence and procedure
• Working with federal investigators and prosecutors
• Developing a winning strategy for your specific charges
• Negotiating favorable plea bargains
• Trying federal criminal cases before judges and juries

Their deep expertise could make the difference between an acquittal or a lengthy prison sentence. You have to decide if that‘s worth the investment.

Sample Costs for Common Scenarios

Okay, but what does all this mean in real dollar terms? Here are some sample cost estimates for common federal criminal cases in Houston:

Drug Possession

For a relatively simple misdemeanor drug possession case that can be resolved through a plea bargain, you could be looking at $5,000 – $10,000 in legal fees for an experienced attorney.If it goes to trial, double or triple that, so $10,000 – $30,000.

White Collar Crime (Fraud, Embezzlement, etc.)

White collar cases are incredibly document and evidence-intensive. They often involve complex financial records, emails, witness testimony, and more. Even for a plea deal, costs could easily reach $25,000 – $50,000.If you go to trial, be prepared for $100,000 – $500,000 or more in legal fees, depending on the specific charges and how long the trial lasts.

RICO/Organized Crime

When you’re talking about charges as serious as racketeering and organized crime under the RICO statute, the gloves are off. Prosecutors will throw everything they have at you.For these types of cases, you need to fight fire with fire. Expect a bare minimum of $100,000 for even the most basic defense, all the way up into the millions for a prolonged, complex trial.