When you are charged with a criminal offense, the first step is to contact your attorney. However, attorneys are expensive and many cannot afford one. In these cases, you can qualify for an attorney appointed by the court.

However, not everyone is satisfied with his or her court appointed attorney for any variety of reasons. Perhaps you think they are not working hard enough to defend you, or maybe your personalities may not gel very well. In most situations, you are going to likely have to deal with that attorney unless you want to hire one yourself. The following are some concerns you may have and what you can do if you don't like your court appointed attorney:

The Attorney is Not Satisfying My Needs

If your attorney is not telling you what you want to hear or is not meeting your needs in some way, you can request for your attorney to be dismissed from your case. However, you need to have a solid, concrete reason why. You cannot simply go to the judge simply because you are not meshing well or there is a breakdown in communication.

If you go to the court with this request, be prepared to explain exactly why the lawyer should be dismissed from your case. You cannot use generic reasons. If you do not supply the judge with a good enough reason for dismissal, chances are your request will be denied and you will have to move forward with the same attorney.

What the Court Says

The court uses a certain set of standards when it comes to court appointments. In general, you are not entitled to have the attorney of your choice when using a court appointed attorney. According to the law in many states, the court has no duty to specifically find an attorney based on your personal preferences. In addition, you cannot get a new attorney due to differences in personality or disagreements with how the attorney handles the case.

You Get What You Pay For

The old adage "you get what you pay for" stands true when it comes to legal representation. One thing to remember about court appointed attorneys is the fact that they are responsible for many cases each day, not just yours. Therefore, they will not be as vested in you as would a privately hired lawyer.

If you need assistance with your legal issues, be sure to contact a local attorney at least for a free consultation. You may find one that will work with you on payments. That way, you will be able to use the person you feel is best for you. To learn more, visit a website like http://wolfleylawoffice.com/.