The total and final cost of a criminal defense attorney can vary greatly from case to case, dependent on the criminal defense team you choose, the type of crime, as well as how complicated the case is. Almost all criminal defense attorneys charge by the hour, somewhere between $250-$700 an hour depending on experience and the type of crime you are being charged with. If you have a long and complicated case, these billable hours can stack up extremely quickly.
If you have a simple case, you may qualify to be charged a simple lump sum. This can happen if you are facing first time DUI charges, for example, and have been offered community service, or if you are being charged with another crime that does not have a jail sentence attached to it.
The average criminal defendant spends between $3500 to $5500 total, which includes all court and filing fees, but not any fines assigned to you during your sentencing.