We carry concealed to protect ourselves from physical attack, but how many of us have taken the necessary steps to protect ourselves from legal attack? Should you ever use your firearm to protect yourself, a lawyer is the closest thing to a friend you will have to help you through the legal system. Use the tips below to find a lawyer well before you need one.
Begin your search with local lawyers you can establish a relationship with. Obviously, a divorce attorney or a business attorney will not be much of a help. Look for criminal defense attorneys to begin the selection process.
Reach out to as many criminal defense attorneys as you can, and ask them the same questions so you can get a feel for which one responds the best. A couple of questions we recommend asking are, “What is your stance on gun control cases?” and, “What do you know about gun laws in our state?”
Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions, such as, “Have you ever tried a firearm case? How many cases? Did you win?”
Once you have selected your attorney, make sure you know exactly how to get a hold of him or her. Can you call 24/7? What if your attorney is sick or on vacation? Make sure to keep at least two of your attorney’s business cards in your wallet, and program his or her number into your cell phone.
If you do not want to find an attorney on your own, there are some groups that can help. The NRA is probably the largest nationwide group that can provide legal help for paying members. Another choice is the Armed Citizen’s Legal Defense Network. By pooling member fees together, Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network is essentially a union of gun owners, that can provide you with plenty of good information and gun laws before you have an incident.
A well-qualified attorney can only help you if you have followed the law and have not blown your case by talking to police. Should you ever need to protect yourself with a firearm, make sure you are in a safe location, be the first to call 911, and then call your attorney.
An attorney can get expensive, however, the prospect of spending decades in jail will make it well worth the cost.
