Yes.

Criminal defense is a specialized field. Criminal lawyers know criminal procedure, evidence, and usually are accomplished trial lawyers. Many criminal lawyers will try more cases in one year than most other types of lawyers will in a career.

Another thing to make sure is that if you are charged with federal criminal charges, your attorney has experience doing federal criminal cases. Most criminal lawyers do not do federal cases, as it is a much smaller “club”. The procedures, laws and rules of evidence are different, as are the sentencing procedures.