I don't know how many phone calls a week I get from disgruntled clients who hired an attorney simply because they received a solicitation in the mail. For those of you who do not know, arrests are public records and anybody can get access to them…even your address. So, some criminal lawyers do just that, they get the list of individuals who were arrested and send them what is called “jail mail.” This jail mail is a solicitation, paid by the attorney to get your business.

I have never liked the idea of jail mail. I feel it is sleazy and invades the privacy of those arrested. Imagine all the unsuspecting people who try to keep their arrest private and then, all of a sudden these solicitations start arriving to their home address, alerting the whole family. Is that the first introduction a person should have with their criminal lawyer?

Getting arrested is a serious event, with serious consequences. Instead, of letting lawyers find you, you find them. Chances are, the lawyers who send jail mail are not the criminal lawyers you read about as being top in their profession.

Here are some tips to follow if you are in need of a criminal defense attorney in Orange County, and all other surrounding counties.

1.Google key search terms that fit your needs (dui attorney, divorce attorney, domestic violence attorney, top criminal defense attorney, etc) 2.See if they have a website and read as much as you can. 3.Go to the California Bar webpage and check the status of their license to make sure there have never been any sanctions or suspensions. Also, you can check for a criminal law specialist in your area. 4.$200.00 down or similar payment plans can be a trap to get you signed up. With these criminal law firms, you usually get what you pay for. 5.Ask friends and family for referrals. 6.Ask lawyers you may already know or be working with if they know of a referral. 7.Meet several criminal law attorneys for consultations. 8.Go to the local bar organizations to see if they have a referral list. 9.Be smart, ask lots of questions and if you do your homework, you are bound to get a great lawyer…and probably one that doesn't send out jail mail.