What to ask an attorney...
Before you hire him.
Here are several questions considered important to ask a lawyer who may potentially represent you.
What is the attorney's experience in this field?
Eric J. Dirga has been practicing in the Orlando area his entire legal career (since 1995). He is known by most central Florida judges and attorneys. He has practiced almost exclusively in the field of criminal law and criminal record expungements. For more information click on the Attorney Profile page.
Has the lawyer handled similar issues like mine?
Mr. Dirga focuses his criminal practice on Domestic Violence, DUI, Criminal Traffic (Racing, Suspended Licenses, etc.), Theft, and Drug Offenses. He provides legal services for all criminal charges. If he feels the issues are beyond his experience Mr. Dirga will refer you to a reputable attorney experienced in the matter.
Mr. Dirga also represents individuals seeking an
expungement or sealing of a criminal arrest record. He handles
hundreds of these cases yearly.
He also covers civil traffic citations, better known as traffic
tickets (since these seem to be the cause of suspended driver's
licenses).
What are the possible outcomes of my criminal case?
That always depends on the circumstances of the criminal charge. At the consultation Mr. Dirga will explain to you some the possibilities based on his legal experience (criminal defenses and legal motions). However, it will not be until further information (the "discovery") is obtained as the criminal case progresses that a more definitive answer to this question can be made. All criminal cases are unique and outcomes can vary. This is true for all criminal cases.
What are my alternatives in resolving the criminal charges brought against me?
There are always alternative resolutions to every criminal case. Mr. Dirga will explain these to you as they become available. By Rule, all attorneys must keep their clients informed of these alternatives. The decision as to which resolution the criminal case is to have is always made by the client with an attorney's advice. Everyone accused of a criminal act has specified Rights set forth in the Constitution. One of these is the Right to have a trial by jury. A good attorney will counsel his client on whether a trial is an appropriate choice to make.
Approximately how long will a criminal case take to resolve?
Criminal cases have definitive time limitations that can be explained at the consultation. It would take too long to explain here.
The expungement and sealing process varies but is usually between 6 to 8 months.
Does the attorney recommend mediation or arbitration?
In criminal cases there is no "mediation or arbitration" yet. There are pre-trial diversion programs that may be an appropriate resolution. The Client always makes the final informed decision and an innocent person should not accept anything short of an acquittal or dismissal of all charges.
What are your rates and how often will you bill me?
The cost of a criminal case depends on many factors. There are 2 types of expenses when being represented by an attorney. First is a legal fee. This is the fee paid to an attorney for his experience, time, and qualifications. Then there are "costs." Money paid to cover the bills generated by the case, e.g., depositions, mediation, etc. "Costs" are used to pay these bills.
Criminal cases are structured differently than other cases, such as divorce cases. Usually a criminal case is a flat fee with a cost deposit and sometimes there is an additional trial fee. Expungements and sealings have a set fee schedule you can find on this website.
What is a ballpark figure for the total bill for a criminal case, including fees and expenses?
This can be asked at the consultation with Mr. Dirga. In criminal cases the cost and fees vary on a case by case basis regarding the nature of the offense and whether it is a felony or misdemeanor. When your liberty is at stake it is important that your defense take priority.
How will you keep me informed of progress of my criminal case?
This Office informs clients by letter, email, and telephone calls of all important issues. We encourage all our clients to feel free to call or email our Office whenever they have a question regarding their case.
What kind of approach will you take to resolve the matter - aggressive and unyielding, or will you be more inclined to reach a reasonable settlement?
This depends on the individual case. A particularly weak case is not conducive to an aggressive stance where a strong case can be approached more forcefully. It is ultimately up to the attorney, with input from the client, as to which of these approaches we will pursue. Remember that this is not TV. The real criminal justice system does not resemble what happens on TV shows. Please forget everything you have seen on TV when it comes to your criminal case.
Who else in the office will be working on my case?
Eric J. Dirga works on all cases almost exclusively. On rare occasions other attorneys may be hired or paralegals may be used but all work in those situations is reviewed by Mr. Dirga.
