Lawyer cost and price

The cost of hiring a criminal attorney depends a great deal on the nature and severity of the charges, the complexity of the case, the lawyer's years of experience and the size of the law firm, among other factors. Fees can vary significantly in different cities, counties and states.

Typical costs:

* A lawyer will almost always want to meet and discuss the specific circumstances of your case before quoting a fee, either an hourly rate ($100-$300) or a flat charge based on the type of case, such as $500-$1,200 for first-time drunk driving charges. However, legal costs for a complex DUI/DWI case can easily run anywhere from $2,500 to $25,000, according to MSN.com.
* A retainer is an up-front fee you pay to hire your attorney, usually a percentage of the total case fee or the equivalent of several hours work. A lawyer working on an hourly basis deducts that hourly rate from the retainer as the work is done; when the retainer is gone, you are billed for additional payment.
* For misdemeanor charges, retainers usually start around$2,000-$4,000. In felony cases the retainers can be $5,000-$10,000, but could easily be $25,000-$50,000 or more for extremely serious charges, such as homicide or sexual assault.
* If you can't afford to pay legal fees and you are facing criminal charges that could result in a jail or prison term of six months or more, you are legally entitled to a lawyer at no charge to you; the judge will either appoint a private attorney or assign a government public defender to represent you.


Additional costs:

* Court fees or fines vary widely depending on the charges and jurisdiction, and are not included in the attorney's fees.
* Depending on the case, fees for investigators or expert witnesses can be anywhere from $2,000-$7,500 or more, and are in addition to the lawyer's fee.
* Attorneys charge for their time answering your questions through phone calls or e-mails, as well as for case-related expenses such as photocopies, interviews or research.

Discounts:

* If the charges against you are relatively minor, a fairly new attorney usually charges less per hour or per case than a more experienced lawyer.