Facing criminal charges in Florida is often a confusing and frightening experience for both the person charged and their family. Choosing your legal representation is the most crucial decision you will make during this upsetting ordeal. You want to hire the best criminal defense lawyer you can find. But how do you tell who is the most skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced?
That’s when “board certification” is so valuable. In Florida, fewer than 2 percent of lawyers are board-certified criminal trial lawyers. At Stechschulte Nell, Attorney at Law in Tampa, Ben Stechschulte, is a board-certified criminal trial lawyer.
Being board-certified means that the lawyer has attained the highest degree of professional knowledge, skill, and experience. According to the Florida Bar Association, obtaining board certification means an attorney has “special knowledge, skills, and proficiency” in their area of law. The label also signifies the lawyer’s high standards of “professionalism and ethics.” A board-certified lawyer is a specialist in their field.
How Does a Lawyer Become “Board-Certified”?
To be board-certified, an attorney must meet rigorous standards and undergo a comprehensive evaluation process. This certification is a recognition of a lawyer’s expertise and competence in a specific area of law. In Florida, board certification is granted by The Florida Bar, the state’s governing body for attorneys.
Board-certified lawyers must pass rigorous testing and maintain the highest standards in the legal profession.
A board-certified criminal defense attorney has achieved one of the most difficult to obtain credentials among all legal practitioners.
Substantial Experience
Only attorneys who meet stringent experience criteria can be recognized as board-certified. They must have demonstrated substantial involvement in criminal defense cases, demonstrating their commitment to the field. This experience separates board-certified criminal defense trial lawyers from other less experienced attorneys who only take on criminal cases as a part of their general practice.
Too often, lawyers who concentrate on family law or real estate law will agree to represent a criminal defendant as a favor to a relative, or because they represent the person in other unrelated matters. When a lawyer achieves board certification in criminal trial law, you know that an attorney specializes in criminal defense and has the knowledge and experience necessary to provide you with the most effective, up-to-date defense that is most likely to succeed.
Only experienced criminal defense lawyers can analyze the facts of your case appropriately, identifying instances of police procedural errors, unreliable evidentiary tests, and illegal searches or seizures.
Likewise, unless an attorney has spent many years trying criminal cases in state and federal court, they will not possess the specialized trial practice knowledge necessary to know when and how to prevent objectionable evidence from being admitted in court.
Did the prosecution lay a proper legal foundation satisfying the rules of evidence? Has the evidence been legally authenticated? Is there a new case law that applies to a significant issue in your case?
Peer Review
Board certification candidates are subject to peer review. Fellow attorneys assess their character, ethics, and professionalism in the legal community. Only those with the respect of fellow criminal defense lawyers, judges, and prosecutors are worthy of board certification.
Examination
Board-certified Florida attorneys do not obtain the valued credential unless they pass a comprehensive examination that tests their knowledge of criminal defense law, procedure, and practice.
Only the most well-practiced and knowledgeable criminal defense lawyers can successfully earn a passing grade on this most difficult examination. This test, perhaps more than any other factor, is what so clearly separates skilled, specializing criminal defense lawyers from others.
Performance Evaluation
Another reliable test involves a panel of judges and board-certified attorneys attending court proceedings to observe and evaluate an attorney’s courtroom performance, to ensure the lawyer is as effective an advocate in the courtroom as they are on paper.
Continuing Legal Education
Board-certified attorneys must engage in ongoing legal education to stay current with developments in criminal defense law. Maintaining a thorough understanding of all the most recent changes, updates, and debates in the law is imperative to a truly effective criminal defense lawyer’s success.
Read More > Ben Has Been Recertified by the Florida Bar
Why Hire a Board-Certified Criminal Defense Lawyer?
Hiring a board-certified attorney will ensure you have the confidence and peace of mind that you have a skilled and knowledgeable advocate in your corner. Knowing your attorney has the highest degree of professional expertise in criminal defense and the skill to apply that specialized knowledge for your benefit often relieves much of the stress and anxiety associated with criminal charges.
When facing criminal charges in Florida, the stakes are high. The lawyer you choose as your legal representative can make the difference between a favorable outcome and a life-altering conviction.
Board-certified criminal defense attorneys provide the specialized knowledge, experience, and dedication required to manage the complexities of the criminal justice system most effectively.
While no attorney can guarantee specific results, board certification assures that you’re working with a legal professional who has met the most rigorous standards in the field. When your future is on the line, investing in the expertise of a board-certified criminal defense attorney is an investment in your peace of mind and your best possible defense.
Give us a call at 813-280-1244 in Tampa, Orlando, or Miami for board-certified criminal defense at your side.
