Your attorney should be experienced with the type of charges you are facing. When seeking the best criminal defense representation for your case, an attorney who focuses their practice on defending the type of charges you are facing will likely have a better understanding of the best defenses to mount as well as the likely outcomes.   In addition to practicing in a general practice area like criminal defense, it is imperative that your lawyer has an understand of the specific crime for which you are charged. A good way to determine this is by reviewing and asking them about their representative cases. We have all heard the old joke about how attorneys only “practice” law. When your life and freedom is in the balance you certainly don’t want an attorney who is only “learning” about the specific laws for which you are accused of breaking.