Featured Kansas City Criminal Defense Lawyer
Law Offices of Michael S. Shipley, LLC
Mr. Shipley's practice is limited to civil and criminal litigation in the Federal and Missouri trial and Appellate Cases. He handles all levels of criminal cases, ranging from minor traffic matters to federal death penalty litigation, and including driving while intoxicated (DWI/DUI), Drug Crimes, sex offenses, white collar crimes, assault and theft offenses. Civil litigation includes serious personal injury and wrongful death suits, truck and automobile collision cases, medical malpractice, civil rights and police brutality.
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If you’ve been charged with a crime in Kansas City, you have three choices: hire a criminal defense lawyer, represent yourself or allow the court to appoint a public defender.
Kansas City Criminal Defense Lawyer versus Public Defenders
Public defenders are necessary to protect the rights of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, those who cannot afford to hire an attorney to represent them in court. Unfortunately, public defenders are frequently underpaid, overworked and less experienced than a private criminal defense lawyer. Public defenders are hired by the county, state or federal government. Their salaries are not particularly generous, considering the cost of law school and student loan debt, and they often have to juggle multiple court cases at once. Allowing the court to appoint a public defender to your case is better than having no attorney at all; however, this decision risky compared with hiring a criminal defense lawyer.
Should I Represent Myself in a Kansas City Court?
As the old saying goes, “One who represents himself has a fool for a client.” If you are not trained in law, a courtroom can be a scary and dangerous place. Defendants have many responsibilities throughout the course of a legal case, and failing to meet any of these obligations can result in serious consequences. A Kansas City criminal defense attorney will take care of these responsibilities for you and ensure that all of your statements, documents and other requirements are filed accurately and on time. A licensed attorney will also help construct a solid defense against the charges and fight to prove your innocence using previous court cases as Precedent.
A Kansas City Criminal Defense Lawyer is Worth the Cost
Criminal defense lawyers are more expensive than the other options, but when your freedom, reputation or financial future is on the line, the lawyer’s costs are a valuable investment. Allowing a public defender to represent you is unlikely to result in the best outcome. Representing yourself is a dangerous maneuver to say the least. Retaining a Kansas City criminal defense lawyer will ensure that you get the best representation in court and lead to a more optimal outcome.
