The True Value of Your Lawyer!

B•F&D Baca, Findlay, & Dziak, LLC www.bfdlawyers.com The True Value Of Your Lawyer! Just how well does hiring a private lawyer measure up to representing yourself or using a public defender? Let's find out! The following data demonstrates private lawyer effectiveness' when compared with 2 contrasting options of representation! 1. Private Lawyers vs. Pro Se (representing yourself) 45% 60% 45% of pro se litigants are confident they can manage their case alone, without a lawyer. 60% of pro se litigants fail to effectively represent themselves in legal matters. The greatest disadvantage of pro se representation is: unfamiliarity with the legal system, including: procedural rules plea bargains appropriate legal forms/documents The following are just two scenarios in which private lawyer representation poses an advantage over pro se Filing for Bankruptcy The US Dept. of Justice has issued 5 common, bankruptcy misconceptions that result in repeated case failures: 60% 50% 38% believe bankruptcy only affects a person for five believe bankruptcy excuses individuals from paying off believe creditors are willing to work with those who have years credit card debt filed 21% 16% believe bankruptcy is NOT public information. believe bankruptcy pardons individuals from paying off student loans. A private lawyer would be able to... clear up misnomers/queries prevent clients from falling victim to the 70-80% failure rate of people who file for bankruptcy, pro se! Personal Injury Claims The skills of an experienced personal injury lawyer can assist in complex legal rules involved in a particular claim injury compensation settlements settlement matters with insurance company People who hire a personal injury lawyer for their case receive an average settlement amount of... 1/3 MORE than those who directly settle with an insurance company! 84% of represented plaintiff winners received monetary damages with an estimated median award of $201,000! 2. Private Lawyers vs. Public Defenders In recent years, numerous studies have focused on state-specific cases to measure: Private lawyer effectiveness when compared to public defenders These studies employed the following indicators to ensure non-biased analyses: acquittal rates prison sentences plea bargains case dismissals The following data has been collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics: % of felony defendants sentenced to prison: In Federal Courts In State Courts 88% 77% 71% 54% represented by a public defender represented by a private lawyer represented by a public defender represented by a private lawyer Defendants with private lawyers are also 2.7X more likely to be granted bail, than those represented by public defenders! Additional research demonstrated in, "An Empirical Study of Public Defender Effectiveness" suggests: The average sentence for clients of public defenders is an estimated THREE YEARS longer than the average clients of private attorneys! The following statistics demonstrate case dismissals/terminations in US district courts (% includes felony & misdemeanor charges) Drug Offenses (ie. possession, trafficking) Property Offenses (ie. burglary, larceny, fraud) Public Order Offenses Regulatory Offenses (ie. public intoxication, speeding) (ie. weapons, DWI, other public order) 16.9% 35.8% 42.8% 34.2% 31% Public Defender 63% 21.7% 26.9% Public Defender Public Defender Public Defender Private Private Private Private Lawyer Lawyer Lawyer Lawyer Defendants with private lawyers also have a greater chance of obtaining 'Pre-trial Release' reprieves than defendants represented by a public defender 79% of defendants with private lawyers received pretrial release on conditional bases VS 52.2%O of defendants with public defenders! From case dismissals to compensation claims, a private lawyer proves to be an effective, advantageous recourse for most legal matters. If you or someone you know requires lawful assistance, visit http://www.bfdlawyers.com/ for all your legal queries! 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