Domestic violence is something I am against. I despise any type of violence against a spouse or significant other, including that perpetrated by women. The law can be extremely hard on men in these cases because more often a woman is on the receiving end of the violence than a man. Either way, the law is there to protect the innocent and to punish the guilty, so a good attorney and a fair trial are absolute necessities. Lawyers are there to tell our side of the story, whether we are the victim or the alleged perpetrator. One particular San Diego Defense Attorney comes to mind when I think about effective and competent representation: Bill Nimmo from the Nimmo Law Group.
I’ve had my ups and downs in life like anyone else, but I can recall one particularly dark time as I write this. I was at home with my husband about 5 years ago and we were relaxing on our front porch in the cool evening after a hot summer’s day. I made both of us a few margaritas and we were enjoying a nice time together. For some reason, we started discussing moving closer to his work (an hour away) to lessen his daily commute. This was always a heated topic, considering that he wanted to do this and I was dead-set against it because our 2 children (visiting Grandma that night) would have to change schools. It was probably the hot weather, maybe full-moon, and definitely too much alcohol, but we started to fight. We were screaming and yelling and I stormed away from him into the house and he followed after me. I tried to close the front door to lock him out, but he reached in and I kicked it closed with all my might. Unfortunately, his hand was still in the doorjamb.
The evening resulted in me making a call to the police, perceiving that my husband was trying to attack me. The officers noted in the police report that both of us were under the influence of alcohol. I decided to press charges against him that night and determined that divorce was the only option for me. He’d always had a short fuse, but if he was going to resort to attacking me, what would he do next? I was in the station making my statement to press charges and just had a million things rushing through my mind at one time. He was detained in jail and I took a cab home and felt like I was at the lowest point in my life.
About a week later, my husband and I reconciled and agreed that it was too much alcohol that led to the misunderstood events of that night. As I contacted the police to discuss dropping the charges, I learned that the District Attorney’s office was still pressing charges against my husband! It was time to get legal representation. I had heard quite a few rave reviews from prior clients of San Diego Defense Attorney Bill Nimmo of Nimmo Law Group, but nothing prepared me for what was to come. He helped get the charges dropped prior to the case ever going to court and convinced the D.A. to accept community service and enrollment in anger management courses. They also ordered that we attend marriage counseling and agree to refrain from excessive drinking. If it hadn’t been for Bill Nimmo, my husband’s case would have taken a very different course!
May 14, 2009
This San Diego Defense Attorney Was My Saving Grace During a Dark Time
April 14, 2009
Criminal Defense San Diego - Proven Track Records Mean You’re More Likely to Win in Court
When I went through my own criminal case in court, it was probably the scariest time I can remember. The evidence I had to present was in my favor for complete dismissal of the charges, but without my lawyer, I probably wouldn’t have won my case. What’s even scarier is when you’ve got these charges to face in front of a jury and judge and you don’t know which lawyer to choose; one you can trust to do the best possible job. With the proper guidance, you can make a well-informed decision and get winning results.
I found my attorney online, which many people do these days. Responding to TV ads or by opening up your Yellow Pages book are not the recommended methods anymore. Sure, these types of ads can help you know who is in your area and what they specialize in, but you need to know more. You should get online to a search engine; I like Google. Then, search by type of attorney and location. Since I am in the San Diego area, I chose to search by “criminal defense attorney San Diego” as well as “criminal defense San Diego” and got great results both times.
Once you have found several lawyers’ web sites, click into each of them and see what they say about themselves. Successful firms will proudly display their wins in court and provide you with actual sample cases they’ve won so you can see an overview of what type of case it was and how it was won. Their web site should include positive comments from actual clients (whose names may be changed for their own privacy). Details should be evident that give you assurance that they pay attention to the specifics of each case, treat each client as if they are their only client, and offer several sources of positive feedback.
A proven track record can also be obtained through public records available at the attorney’s Bar Association. You can either call or go down to the Bar Association’s office and ask for a report on any attorney. This is because each attorney reports their cases after each is completed. These statistics can prove invaluable if it depends on you winning your case or not. They usually will include any bad marks against an attorney in the report you acquire.
If you feel that you need even more information about someone’s record of success, there are other online resources that you can take advantage of. First, you can do a search by attorney and area like I did (“criminal defense attorney San Diego” and also “criminal defense San Diego”). Next, add the words “peer reviews” to your keyword phrase as well as “client reviews” to see what others are saying about them. Only through well-rounded research of a lawyer will you find someone who has a proven track record in court and who has the web site, clients, and the Bar Association to back up their claims of success.
One such web site and law firm that I came across is the Nimmo Law Group. They have won awards for their successful record in the courtroom and proudly report on case histories, case results, and provide a detailed list of links to each of the 11-plus areas they specialize in. If you need excellent representation and are in the San Diego area, visit their web site to get a full picture of what they are doing for clients like you every day.
April 3, 2009
Criminal defense attorney San Diego - How to Avoid Hiring a Bad Attorney
Let’s be honest, one of the most difficult situations in people’s lives is being accused something they didn’t do and having to go to court to defend themselves. It can be the scariest thing imaginable! The most important part of your defense is not your story, but who is telling it. Do you have an attorney that can clearly communicate what occurred and what part, if any, you had in the incident? Can they skillfully convince the jury of your innocence? When a crisis like this occurs in your life, how can you be assured that the lawyer you’ve selected is going to best represent you and yield the most beneficial result?
First, try and put yourself in their shoes. Yes, that’s the first thing you should do to ensure you’re getting the best person possible! Imagine, for a moment, that you’ve been a lawyer for only a year or so and you’ve been presented with a case identical to your own. Would you feel comfortable with a lawyer with so little experience in the courtroom? Look next at the attorney’s experience in the specific type of case such as yours. A good attorney will have represented many cases like yours and will have “seen it all” and will know what to expect in case the other attorney throws a surprise in your direction.
Another wise choice to avoid hiring a bad attorney is to do the research! Find out how many years of practice, their track record, and personal experiences of former clients of theirs. If you don’t have the money for a high-profile attorney whose successful record is public knowledge, the next best thing is to do the following:
- Look them up by name and area in Google, for example, “criminal defense San Diego” or “criminal defense attorney San Diego” to narrow search results by type of attorney and area you live in
- Find blogs online or personal stories from prior clients of theirs
- If none can be found, call the attorney’s office and request a list of client referrals
- Finally, check their track record of successfully won cases by speaking to the attorney’s Bar Association
Next, meet with your chosen counselor and gauge how well they ask questions that draw out the information in your case. Many times, an experienced lawyer specializing in your type of situation will seem almost like a psychic because they have the uncanny ability to pinpoint details that you thought only you knew. Give more credit to your instincts. Listen to that small voice urging you to run for the hills or stay and fight this with that attorney on your side.
The bottom line is that you have to do the legwork necessary to research your options for legal representation and ultimately make a decision that feels right for you. An example of a trusted criminal defense attorney San Diego or criminal defense San Diego is the Nimmo Law Group; There practice is one that’s been around for years and comes highly recommended by past clients.