Should you be searching for best criminal lawyer instead of best Cedar Rapids lawyer?

First, no one can claim to be the “best Cedar Rapids lawyer” nor can they claim to be the “best Cedar Rapids criminal lawyer.” However, by narrowing your search to criminal lawyers, you will significantly reduce the chance of calling an attorney who practices in an area other than the criminal law. Why is it important? Well, as with anything, you may wish to hire a specialist. You may wish to hire someone who has honed their skill set in a particular area with knowledge, training, and experience to handle your Cedar Rapids criminal defense, whether for Operating While Intoxicated, sometimes called a DUI in other states, or for an indictable criminal prosecution for a misdemeanor or a felony.

In Iowa courthouses, everything is a lawsuit like everything on your smart phone is an app. You’ve heard of civil lawsuits. You have not likely heard of criminal prosecutions as lawsuits but they are exactly that. In Iowa, a county attorney may submit a written proposal to a judge to support a criminal lawsuit against a defendant. That document is called a “trial information” because of the way the prosecutor signs the document at the end, “a true information.” This document is supported by a list of witnesses and their likely testimony, called the minutes of predicted testimony. In other states, such a criminal lawsuit is called an indictment.

Every criminal lawsuit in Iowa is regulated by the Iowa criminal code and the Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure. These rules are different than the rules that govern Iowa civil suits—the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure. Judicial precedents, or, cases that precede, or, predate, also inform criminal prosecutions because they help defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges determine how the law must be applied according to the Iowa Supreme Court and Iowa Court of Appeals.

It is our professional opinion that you should hire a criminal defense attorney who practices only in the area of the criminal law, because they use the Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Iowa criminal code exclusively in their practice.

In fairness, however, any lawyer can practice in any area he or she chooses in Iowa. They can claim to be able to handle your criminal defense because they are a general practice lawyer. They will further tell you that Iowa does not recognize specializations and that any lawyer can appear on your behalf.

But no one can say they're the 'best' lawyer in Cedar Rapids or anywhere. We’re biased, of course. We believe you should choose a criminal lawyer who has been practicing criminal law for over 21 years with over 5,000 criminal cases resolved. That’s David A. Cmelik Law PLC.

It’s your money. And it’s your life. You can choose whomever you wish to represent you in your indictable criminal prosecution. Contact us.