Did you know that many attorneys lack actual trial experience? If you have a dispute with another person or a company, and that dispute centers around whether you are entitled to a money settlement, or whether you owe money to someone else, the civil court system is the institution that helps you resolve the dispute.
If you cannot come to an agreement with the opposing party outside of court, the process by which you resolve that dispute is through a trial.
The Basics of a Court Trial
A trial is an opportunity to tell your story to either a judge or a jury—made up of six to twelve randomly selected people from your community.
At the start of the trial, your attorney participates in a jury selection process, called voir dire. This process allows your legal team to speak with prospective jurors and request the removal of any that may not provide a fair and unbiased view of your story.
Next, your attorney will present your story to the judge or jury. An attorney with trial experience understands how to find the facts and present them in the most effective manner possible—from expert selection to visual images. A trial attorney with ample experience may help you achieve the best outcome for your individual case.
What Could Happens Your Trial Attorney Has No Experience?
If you are hiring an attorney who has little-to-no trial experience, or does not specialize in trial cases, you could be putting yourself at an unnecessary disadvantage. You could also be at a further disadvantage throughout the course of your case—starting at the very beginning during pretrial negotiations.
The value of your case is always determined by what a jury might do at trial. If the opposing party knows that your attorney has never been to trial, is inexperienced, or may try to avoid trial altogether, it may decide to not offer you a fair settlement that is representative of the true value of your case.
The reason may be that the party knows your attorney will not go to trial, or will likely lose at trial. This, in turn, means there is little risk of losing the case. Additionally, this may also mean that the settlement offers you receive will be much lower than what your case could be worth at trial.
Why Is Trial Experience Important?
If you are represented by an attorney with extensive trial experience, your legal council will be recognized by mediators, defense counsel, and judges as an experienced trial attorney who understands the actual value of your case and is not unafraid of pursuing a truly just settlement. This will likely drive up the value of your settlement exponentially.
This same principle is true in civil case, such as insurance disputes over motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, or slip and fall cases, as well as criminal or family law cases.
If you hire a family attorney who does not have any experience in the courtroom, he or she is not going to be able to effectively advocate for you if the opposing party refuses to agree to settlement terms or asserts unrealistic demands. If you are charged with a crime and are represented by an attorney with little or no trial experience, there is a much greater chance of the prosecution securing a conviction.
Need an Experienced Trial Attorney?
No matter what your legal issue is, and even if you, yourself, wish to avoid trial, you need an attorney with trial experience to ensure you receive a fair trial and the justice you are entitled to.
To learn how team of experienced trial attorneys can help, contact us today for a consultation!
DISCLAIMER: The Doar, Drill, and Skow blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported may come from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these types of situations choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.