Clemency is a situation where an individual may be granted leniency for the crimes they have done before. In this, the U.S. government plays a major role as they can offer a second chance to the criminal. Getting leniency from the government is not everyone’s cup of tea as there are various complexities and complex legal procedures involved in this. So here the role of a clemency lawyer comes into play. They are the legal experts who handle cases of amnesty and help their clients in situations such as removal of conviction from criminal records, prison sentence reduction, obtaining pardon etc. It is important to note that clemency cases involve various complex proceedings and may be costly. In addition to this you need a highly experienced lawyer for such cases and clemency lawyers are quite costly and may ask for higher charges.
The cost of hiring a clemency lawyer can vary according to various factors involved in the case. There is no fixed value that can define the actual cost of a clemency lawyer but there are some factors through which you can assess the cost of a clemency lawyer. These factors include types of charges, the experience of the lawyer, location, the fee structure they follow and a few more.
Cost Of A Clemency Lawyer For Different Degrees Of Offence
There are various degrees of offence involved in a case which can affect the cost of a lawyer to a greater extent. A lawyer can charge you the fees according to the degree of offence. So here given below are some different degrees of offence that can affect the cost of a clemency lawyer.
Misdemeanor Charges
Misdemeanor charges are not serious charges and can end up with simple penalties and include minor crimes like theft, minor assault, drug possession, unfair destruction and devastation etc. Misdemeanor charges are divided into two types which are given below.
First-Degree Misdemeanor Charges: These are the type of charges that include a few serious offences and in this, an individual may be punished with up to one year in jail and heavy fines. This can affect the cost of a lawyer as such cases require special attention and effort. It results in a higher amount of fee that you have to pay to your lawyer which can go from $2000 to $3000. The offences involved in first-degree misdemeanor charges are drug possession, domestic violence, life-threatening attacks on someone etc.
Second-Degree Misdemeanor Charges: These types of charges include much simpler offence and are not that serious. Lawyers may take a minimal amount for a case like this which is around $1000 to $3000. Inexperienced or less reputed lawyers can even go down to $700 whereas experienced and reputed lawyers can charge you high fees which is around $4000 to $5000. Second-degree misdemeanor charges involve minor offences such as trespassing, conflicts, misconduct etc.
Felony Charges
Felony charges are serious charges that involve severe and brutal crimes. These offences are associated with harsh penalties and lifetime jail. The punishment can be from a few years to a lifetime and it depends on the type of felony charges you are facing. There are 3 degrees of felony charges that determine the type of punishment and it also determines the cost of a clemency lawyer while handling such cases.
First-Degree Felonies: These charges contain the most serious offences that may lead to life imprisonment or death. These cases are very complex and only experienced lawyers can handle such cases. For offences like these when the chance of clemency is very low, clemency lawyers ask for a very high fee to handle such cases. It may go from around $10,000 to $30,000 or more. It depends on the experience of the lawyer
Second-Degree Felonies: In second-degree felonies, the charges are less serious and the lawyer may settle for a lesser fee than the first-degree felonies. The punishment period for second-degree felonies ranges from 10-15 years and the offences in this include fraud, property theft, illegal dealing etc. Lawyers may ask for a significant fee which is somewhere around $5000 to $20,000. It also mainly depends on the experience level of the lawyer.
Third-Degree Felonies: These are felonies with minimal punishment and fines as offences involved in these cases are not much serious and can be handled by lawyers easily. Lawyers may ask for minimal fees for such cases and the punishment period stays between a maximum of 4-5 years. The average fee that a clemency lawyer may ask for third-degree felonies may range from $5000 to $10,000.
Overall, It is important to keep in mind that clemency cases can be quite complex, and the outcome may vary. It becomes essential to choose a lawyer with immense experience so that he/she can provide you with better legal guidance and help you navigate through all the complexities of clemency cases.
