An experienced defense attorney can often make accurate predictions as to likely punishment. Ask a relative or close friend who is or who knows an attorney for informal, unpaid advice. Talk to an attorney from the public defender's office. In most criminal courts the arraignment is where the defendant first appears before a judge and enters a plea of guilty or not guilty to the offense charged. See Key Aspects of Modern Criminal Procedure for more information about the defendant's right to a speedy trial.
Most people can handle an arraignment without a lawyer.
However, if the defendant can get the court to appoint a lawyer for him or her without having to delay the arraignment, or the defendant is able to arrange for private representation before the arraignment, having a lawyer at this stage is always better. The goal of hiring a legal coach is to combine a lawyer's knowledge with the defendant's own time. Because the defendant pays for the lawyer's help only occasionally, the cost of a legal coach can be far less than turning the entire case over to a private attorney. Not all attorneys are willing to serve as legal coaches. Thus, if a defendant is considering going it alone and thinks he or she will want a lawyer's help, the defendant should, if possible, get the earliest possible start to lining one up.