I get several calls each day from people who have been arrested and are looking for the right lawyer. The smarter ones know that it is important for their new lawyer to have experience, good recommendations from previous clients and has mastered several areas of science, law and courtroom procedure to effectively represent them. The others begin our talk with "How much do you charge."

Yesterday, I returned a call from a person and before I could finish telling him my name, he immediately wanted to know what I would charge for . . . . .

He was not interested in anything other than the fee. So I sent him to several lawyers that will charge almost nothing and will probably end up suggesting he take a plea right away.

An old saying goes,"Do you want it done Cheap, Quick or Good - pick one!"

To some people, lawyers are like grains rice - they are all alike. If a person went to law school, graduated and passed the bar, they are a lawyer. And lawyers are all alike.

Right?

Not hardly.

I have a close friend that is one of the top family lawyers in the country. He is one of the most accomplished litigators and is constantly called upon to represent clients all over the country. When he gets a traffic ticket, he calls me.

Why?

That's because he's smart enough to know . . . what he does not know!

It takes years to be able to competently handle a DWI case. Sure, any criminal lawyer knows evidence, and most know criminal law procedure, but what about toxicology, pharmacology, the science of breath testing, the difference in blood serum and whole blood DWI's?

If you found out you had a brain tumor - would you call up the best brain surgeon and ask him to send you some material on how to remove your own tumor? Would you operate on yourself?

If you had a friend that was a securities lawyer and feared and respected by the Securities and Exchange Commission, would he know anything about the index of samples on a Gas Chromatography machine?

Criminal Lawyers are focused on defending clients accused of crimes. Not all criminal lawyers are DWI lawyers, in fact, few are. But within the set of lawyers that work on criminal matters, there are a few dedicated DWI lawyers.

These are the people that spend years mastering the defense of these cases and dedicating themselves to understanding the complex science and engage in hours of training to defend their clients. They have taken the time to master the skills that are needed to win complex DWI cases. They take very few cases and actually spend time investigating, researching, and building their client's cases. They meet with their clients and keep them informed about the status of their case. They devote an inordinate amount of time and energy to defending those few cases that they accept. And they only utilize a plea bargain as a last resort, when it is in the client's best interest. They are not concerned with wrapping up cases quickly, but are more interested in researching every facet of their client's case from examining their clients medical history to visiting the scene and measuring the road surface with a laser to determine just how flat and level the surface was where the client was given the "Standardized Field Sobriety Tests."

So when you are calling around looking for that DWI lawyer that has spent years of time learning and mastering the science and procedures to be able to successfully defend you. When you are looking for the lawyer to keep you out of jail so you can keep your job and provide for your family, the lawyer that other lawyers and doctors call upon to represent them, are you really looking for the best lawyer for your case?

Or, are you looking for a fee?

"Do you want it cheap?" Lots of lawyers do this. Are you getting what you pay for?

"Do you want it quick?" Even more lawyers are willing to take your case and turn it for a quick plea. Most people could even do this without a lawyer.

"Do you want it done good." Now this is the problem area for most people. Everyone wants their lawyer to put up a fight against the government. Everyone wants to hire a lawyer that is going to look into their case and actually spend time getting motions heard and taking an aggressive stance to defend you. Lots of lawyers say they are aggressive - but are they?

Instead of asking are you a trial lawyer? Try asking, "When was your last trial, and what was the verdict?"

Good DWI trial lawyers provide more service and actually defend their clients and win cases at trial - a plea is a last resort only when it is in the client's best interest and only if it will result in a better deal than would come of taking the case to trial.

So, are you looking for a good DWI lawyer, or are you looking for a fee?

This is a link to a blog by Chuck Ramsey, an excellent criminal attorney in Minnesota. It is a very good read on how to choose a qualified attorney and much better than what I have written. Enjoy!

Click here for link to Chuck Ramsey blog.

Lisa Michalk was elected Judge of the 221st Judicial District Court of Montgomery County, Texas. Claudia Laird was elected Judge of County Court at Law Number Two of Montgomery County, Texas.
Read about the elections in the Conroe Courier.

Hello everyone. I hope you are planning on voting in the early election that is taking place now or in the general election which begins in a few weeks.

Most of you know that I NEVER get involved in politics, but have decided to make an exception to that rule in the election of the 221st District Court.

I am in that court on a weekly basis as well as being in all of the other courts in Montgomery County with great frequency. I have seen good judges, in-between judges and some really bad ones.

While there is no way to predict how well a person will serve as judge, one thing is certain . . . Montgomery County needs experienced judges that can follow the law and are experienced at dealing with legal resolutions they will be called upon to make.

I am fully supporting Lisa Benge Michalk in her bid to become the next judge of the 221st District Court. While Lisa is a close friend, my support is not based on my friendship with her and her family.

My support comes from working with her and around her, day in and day out, for the past 8 years. She is a fantastic attorney that conscientiously cares about the quality of her work. She has worked as a lawyer in several different jobs ranging from prosecutor for the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office to appeals attorney, and also as a criminal defense attorney - one of the best we have in Montgomery County.

Her opponent is a professional politician who labels himself as a "judge" but he holds no judicial seat. He also has no criminal law experience and is running for election in a court that is designated as a criminal court!

I have seen way too many judges that were more concerned with being elected to the bench and not whether or not they were qualified to be sitting over certain types of cases???? Montgomery County does not need that sort of problem, again.

Lisa has the experience and the knowledge. She is one of the few attorneys that I have personally called upon for advice and she will make an excellent criminal court judge because of her vast criminal law experience and knowledge.

One of her many goals for that court is to efficiently run the court so that your tax dollars are not wasted.

You may not know this, but the county must appoint an attorney to represent someone who is indigent. Currently, there may be as many as 20 attorneys lined up in court that your dollars are paying for on an hourly basis. Sometimes they are left sitting there for several hours. While these attorneys sit, for hours, waiting to be called, you are paying their bill. Sometimes thousands of dollars per day!

Lisa has a very good plan to quickly move and resolve all cases as she should . . . she has sat and observed the 221st District Court in action for several years and has a host of great ideas to reduce the time and expense of dealing with these cases. Her opponent has none.

She is also supported by her former opponents Scott Golemon and David Oneal as well as numerous other entities as organizations involved in the business of the legal community. Please visit her website to see a list of her supporters at Lisa Benge Michalk for Judge.

Recently the Conroe Courier also publicly announced it's support for Lisa.

Lisa Michalk is my choice for the 221st and I hope you will read and learn about her so that you too, will feel that she is your choice.

Please get out and vote for Lisa Michalk for the 221st District Court of Montgomery County.

Thank you and everyone be sure to have a great day!