In case you’ve been living under a rock, you know that dealing with a court case and being in a courtroom is pretty intimidating. It’s an even scarier place if you don’t have proper representation, especially due to the US legal system’s many built-in complexities. Your freedom often depends on your representation.
It’s safe to say unless you are a trial attorney and can adequately fend for yourself in a courtroom, it’s almost always a better idea to hire a trial attorney for a date in court with a judge and jury. But what is a trial attorney? Are there different types of trial lawyers in Houston? And what does a trial lawyer do? Check out the reasons why you needed a trial lawyer for your court case yesterday.
What is a trial attorney?
Trial attorneys know the inner workings of the legal system and the processes that you’ll be going through during your trial. Trial attorneys are experts at preparing a defense team for trial, preparing witnesses, gathering evidence and choosing jury members. (If you’re curious the process of jury duty, check out our tips on what to expect at jury duty.)
Trial attorneys are so fundamental for a case but, unfortunately, there are many ineffective trial attorneys out there vying to be your defense representation.
Trial attorney vs. litigator
Whereas trial attorneys prefer to fight for their clients inside the courtroom (where real changes are made), litigators tend to dance around the entire process. They often wind up settling cases outside of court in a long, drawn-out process that ends up being extremely costly for their clients. Trial attorneys would rather actively pursue the case and protect their client’s rights and innocence inside the courtroom.
Trial lawyer vs. defense lawyer
The boundaries between a trial lawyer and a defense lawyer (or, as some put it, a trial lawyer vs. a criminal lawyer, or criminal defense lawyer) are a little hazier. A criminal lawyer handles the case of defendants accused of a crime, but a trial lawyer can represent defendants in both criminal and civil cases. A defense lawyer can “become” a trial lawyer if they can’t settle the case out of court, but most defense lawyers prefer to avoid court and will hand over the case to a trial lawyer.
This best way to differentiate between a defense lawyer and a trial lawyer. Trial lawyers specialize in creating the defense angle of the case and taking part in the trial. Trial lawyers are keen on pretrial diversion, selecting jury members, building a record, contacting witnesses, cross-examination, arguing motions and planning out the entire case.
Houston trial attorney
Now you know the answer to the question, “What is a trial attorney?” But keep in mind, not all attorneys are experts in the courtroom. While some may be skilled in other areas of law, you’re going to want a trial attorney representing you who knows how to put together a sound case with the right witnesses. Whether you need a Houston DWI lawyer, a Houston personal injury attorney, or Houston criminal defense attorney, Thiessen Law Firm offers the best trial attorneys who are experts in getting their clients acquitted.
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