When facing criminal charges, you should first consult with an attorney in the jurisdiction where you’ve been charged to assess the severity of your case. Hiring a lawyer ahead of your first appearance in court is important to the outcome of your case. This is critical in order to protect your rights from the outset of your court proceedings. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf you are looking to hire a Tampa Bay criminal defense attorney, make sure he or she has managed cases in the county where your case will be prosecuted, has a successful track record, strong trial experience as well as negotiating skills and the ability to develop a strategy for your case. Here are other tips that you may want to take into account to u003ca href=u0022https://www.goldmanwetzel.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-criminal-defense-attorney-in-st-petersburg/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003ehire a good criminal defense lawyeru003c/au003e.