One of the first questions everyone asks when they find out they need a lawyer is “how much is this going to cost?”
The answer is not always simple. We need to account for the complexity and seriousness of the case, the number of court dates, and a host of other factors.
After speaking with you during our free initial consultation, so we can understand what will go into your representation, we will quote you a flat fee or fees, depending on whether you decide to work out a deal, or fight the charges, potentially all the way to a trial by jury.
The most important things for you to know is:
- We will consult with you and quote a fee for representation up front before you even need to decide whether or not you want to hire us.
- Fees are all inclusive and fully disclosed.
What do your fees cover?
Our fees cover all attorney travel, staff and office support time, document acquisition expenses, and virtually everything else.
With flat fees, you always know the full amount up front. We find clients are much more comfortable with that. There are no extra charges, hourly billings, or additional expenses that we haven’t disclosed, EVER.
Seriously. How much will it cost to hire a lawyer?
Like I said, it depends on a lot of factors that we’ll learn when we discuss the details of your case. Yeah, everyone hates that answer.
Ok, here goes. The lowest rock bottom fee we ever charged for fairly simple Clerk Magistrate’s hearings is $1750.
For that fee, you will get one of our well-trained associate attorneys to represent you at the hearing. Even though our associates are young, they are quite experienced. Since we are the largest criminal defense law firm in Massachusetts, we handle more Clerk Magistrate’s hearings than any other firm.
We all exchange information about cases, the tendencies and successful strategies for getting the best results from different Clerk Magistrates in different courts. We have a vast amount experience and institutional knowledge in our office about clerk’s hearings.
For an OUI deal, it is usually $2000. It could be more, but we are always completely upfront about what different charges and attorneys cost.
If the case is more complicated or more serious, it’s going to be more. Any case where there is an injured 3rd party, witnesses, or other complexities will be more.
Fees for any case going to trial will usually start at $6000. Serious felonies or cases going to Superior Court or Federal Court will cost quite a bit more, since those cases require extensive preparation, multiple initial court dates, and a trial that can take a full week or more.
What if I don’t know if I want to fight my case at trial?
If you don’t know whether you want to take a case to trial, that’s ok! It is normal not to be sure, especially until we find out what the specific options on the table are.
You usually don’t have to decide right away. We will quote you several fees, one for if we end up working out a deal at a pretrial, and a separate fee if we move forward and set a trial date.
When might there be extra costs?
If we have to hire an expert witness, such as a breath test machine expert in a DUI case, that expert will charge a separate fee. But we will go over that up front, and let you know what it would be.
How Much is the Free Consultation?
Ha! Whaddaya know, it’s really free. Give us a call!
Can we work out a payment plan?
In some cases, sure, we can be flexible if you’ve got a reasonable plan to come up with the money in the future. We know people get stuck, and the courts aren’t going to wait around until you save up the money. Give us a call and we will see what we can do for you.
I know I really can’t afford an attorney, and I’m desperate. Can I talk to someone anyway?
Sure, we can try to offer you some advice and help. My staff is extremely knowledgeable and can definitely offer you some tips and some general, non-legal advice.
We do talk to people quite frequently where the court says they don’t qualify for a public defender, but they really don’t have the money.
Or in cases where it is a Clerk Magistrate’s hearing, and you aren’t entitled to a court appointed lawyer. Which is really unfortunate itself.
When CAN’T you talk to me?
- If you are outside of Massachusetts, we can’t help you. We aren’t licensed to practice there and aren’t familiar with the widely varying laws in other states.
- If you are already represented by a private attorney or a court appointed lawyer, and just want a second opinion. we don’t do that. It’s not our place to second-guess to offer an uninformed opinion the decisions of the attorney who has studied your case in detail.
- If you are a crime victim, or want to sue someone, we don’t take those kind of cases. Plenty of other lawyers do.
That said, if you think your attorney is doing a poor job or is a good lawyer but maybe not directly experienced or knowledgeable about Massachusetts criminal law cases, DUI defense, or Clerk Magistrate’s hearings, we can discuss options and fees.
