Washington, D.C. / Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer: Bread Baking Tips
Ok I love baking. I know. I know … I know what you are thinking. What does bread baking has anything to do with criminal defense. Well, it doesn’t. But since I am a baker, I thought you could use this tip when you bake your next loaf of bread. ALWAYS WEIGH YOUR INGREDIENTS. Never measure by volume. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky. Add more liquid if the dough seems dry. Increase oven temperature and decrease baking time in higher altitude.
Why did I bring up bread baking tips. Baking bread is very similar to defending a criminal case. In bread baking, even if you follow a recipe to a T, your end product may still turn out floppy. Case on point. Picture on the left is the Hawaiian Rolls I made. Picture on the right is made by someone else (my husband) who used the same recipe. You see how the 2 sets of rolls differ in appearance. They also taste different. Picture on the right could have proofed a bit longer and stayed in the oven longer. My point is: criminal defense is like baking bread. You must adjust the amount of liquid, dry ingredients, temperature in your oven, proofing and/or baking time, depending on a number of factors. In criminal practice, not only do you have to know the law well, you should also know how to spot issues on a case (what areas to challenge, e.g. probable cause in a traffic stop, legality of a consent in a “confession” / interrogation, correct procedures in administering a field sobriety test, validity of a search warrant, etc. The lawyer should also be familiar with the judges/ commissioners in how they handle bail, pre and post trial motions, trial practices, sentencings, etc. So before you hire your attorney in defending your criminal case, ask the following:
• Does he/she practice criminal / DUI defense exclusively?
If so, how long?
• Is he/she a member of the National College of for DUI Defense?
• Does the quoted fee cover: investigations, blood reanalysis, Subpoena costs, MVA hearing?
• Does the low fee indicate “a plea lawyer?” – a lawyer who quickly pleads you guilty.
• Have any state bar complaints been filed against the attorney?
If you want our help, just call 202-455-5610 and we’ll set up a time for you to come in and talk to us about your case. The consultation is always free, and we’ll let you know what we think about your case and see if we’re the right criminal defense attorneys to help you out.