Let’s start this article out with a nugget of truth, shall we? We understand that being able to choose your own attorney is a privilege, and not everyone can afford that option. But something else we understand, is that when you don’t hire a defense attorney and just take whatever the court gives you, you take the risk of getting a weaker and less effective defense. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. Court appointed attorneys simply can’t do for their clients what private attorneys can.
Why are court appointed attorneys not as good as private attorneys?
There are many reasons for why a court appointed attorney isn’t the way to go when it comes to choosing your legal representative in a case. And no, we’re not suggesting that they’re lazy or incompetent – nothing like that. There are simply some irrefutable facts in play here that make a court appointed attorney a bad choice when you’re future is on the line. And when you’re battling CPS in Michigan, that’s a big deal!
Money:
The public defender’s office has a tiny budget compared to the budget that the Prosecutor’s office gets to work with. So when it comes to hiring expert witnesses to provide expert testimony in your defense, or hiring a private investigator to look into a situation on your behalf, you can forget about it. Too many cases, not enough cash… Next! As opposed to the Prosecutor’s office, which has unlimited funds available to get whomever they need to bolster their case. It truly is unfair.
Time:
While a private attorney will only take on the number of cases they (or their firm) can properly handle, a court appointed attorney is assigned their cases, and they have no control. Most court appointed attorneys have hundreds of open cases going at any one time, which means they have mere minutes to dedicate to each case – not nearly enough time to craft a strong defense or familiarize themselves with the ins and outs of your unique situation.
Experience:
When all you have to dedicate to each case that passes your desk is a few minutes glancing through the file and a moment to throw together a quick plea deal (because that’s often what court appointed attorneys recommend) you don’t get to develop the experience that comes with investigating a case and crafting a creative defense for your client. It’s about quantity, not quality, and that’s not what you want in an attorney.
If at all possible, you need to choose your own attorney!
The only potential benefit to a court appointed attorney is that they’re free. And even then… you get what you pay for. Here at The Kronzek Firm, our skilled CPS defense team works together, pooling their many years of experience and drawing from a significant pool of experts and resources when crafting your defense. We’ve been doing this for decades, and we’re extremely good at it!
So join us next time, and find out more about why it’s important not to let a court appointed attorney represent you in a Michigan CPS case. Until then, if you and your family are being harassed by CPS workers, or you believe CPS is trying to take away your kids, call us at 866 766 5245. Our experienced CPS defense attorneys are standing by, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, to help you fight for your rights, and protect your family.