Defense Attorney Fees
Legal Fees for Houston Criminal Defense Attorneys at The Haggard Law Firm
How much does hiring an attorney cost?
Do you quote fees over the phone?
Do all attorneys quote fees over the phone?
Are there any hidden fees I should be aware of?
Can I assign my cash bond to you in payment of attorney’s fees?
What forms of payment do you accept?
Can I make payments online with a credit or debit card?
How much does hiring an attorney cost?
Fees vary from several hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the type of case and the qualifications of the attorney. In general, plan to pay more for an attorney with substantial experience, training and outstanding trial results.
Do you quote fees over the phone?
In most cases, yes. When you call our office, a legal assistant or case manager will interview you by phone, taking all necessary background and case information, after which she will quote you our standard retainer for representation. The retainer fee is based on several factors including but not limited to:
- The number of charges and/or counts
- The number of co-defendants, if any
- The number of witnesses, if any
- The criminal background of the defendant
- Whether the defendant has any charge pending in Harris or another county
- Whether the defendant is on probation
- Whether the defendant is on parole
- Whether the defendant wants to contest the charge against him or plead guilty
- Fact issues
- Constitutional issues
- Evidence/Search issues
If your case is unusually complicated or has out-of-the-ordinary circumstances for which our legal assistant or case manager doesn’t have standard fee guidelines by which to quote you our retainer, she’ll check with the office manager or Mr. Haggard regarding the fee and get back with you promptly.
Do all attorneys quote fees over the phone?
No. Many attorneys will refuse to tell you their fee by phone, instead requiring you to first invest your time and energy in coming to their office.
The Houston criminal defense attorneys at The Haggard Law Firm see this for what it is: a potential waste of each other’s time.
If we accept representation and our fee is affordable for you, you can then schedule a consultation.
All of our fees include:
- All court appearances
- Jail visits as necessary
- Phone and office consultations to keep the client informed as necessary
- Client copies of Motions, correspondence, and other pertinent case documents
- Trials or Hearings
None of our fees include:
- Fines and court costs
- Restitution charges
- Extraordinary case expenses such as private investigator or expert witness services
- Mistrials and Retrials
- Appeals
If your case will require extraordinary expenses, Mr. Haggard will go over with you what those expenses will be, the approximate cost, and whether you will pay the provider directly or deposit a certain amount into escrow with us.
Are there any hidden fees I should be aware of?
No. We tell you what the fee is and what it includes.
There are no hidden fees associated with legal services, only attorneys who fail to specify for their clients what the fees are and what they include.
Can I assign my cash bond to you in payment of attorney’s fees?
Harris County no longer allows defendants to make cash bond assignments. If your case is in another county, this may be an option for you and is a good one for those who paid cash to bond out but do not want to or cannot afford to pay additional cash to hire an attorney. We verify the name of the depositor with the cash bond office and that person, usually the actual defendant, executes a sworn Assignment.
If our fee exceeds the cash bond amount, arrangements are made with our office to pay the balance.
In some cases, payment plans can be arranged and in many instances, the legal assistant or case manager doing your case intake will be able to arrange one with you. In cases where she is unsure whether a particular payment plan would be approved, she will speak with the office manager and get back with you promptly.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept all forms of payment except checks: All major credit and debit cards, cashier checks, certified checks, money orders, and wire transfers.
Can I make payments online with a credit or debit card?
Yes. Go to our payment page here and make a payment.
The Haggard Law Firm accepts selected criminal defense cases in Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston, Brazoria, Montgomery, Matagorda and surrounding Texas counties.
Affordable representation; payment plans arranged in some cases. We represent clients in all Misdemeanor Courts, Felony Courts, Juvenile Court and Federal Court.
Note: Clients have given their permission for any testimonials presented here.