How to find legal advice, attorneys in the Chattanooga area

From criminal offenses to divorces to civil rights lawsuits, many Chattanooga area residents may need legal counsel at some point in their life.

It can be difficult to navigate the justice system, especially for those without experience, according to local attorneys.

“If you have a legal issue, it’s a scary time,” Legal Aid of East Tennessee staff attorney Emily O’Donnell said by phone. “Most people only need a lawyer a couple different times in their life, hopefully, and so it’s not something you do every day.”

MY LEGAL NEEDS

An individual can do some basic assessments of their own case to help guide their search for legal advice or representation.

If a person is facing a criminal charge, they can request the affidavit of complaint and/or any indictments to better understand the crimes they are accused of. People can search cjuscaseinfo.hamiltontn.gov to locate charges and call either General Sessions Court at 423-209-7600 or Criminal Court at 423-209-7500 to request publicly available documents about their case.

A person who is interested in pursuing civil matters can gather documentation or evidence about their legal issue such as contracts, text messages and social media posts.

MY BUDGET

Attorney Logan Davis said by phone she couldn’t specify fees at her firm, David & Hoss, but it’s safe to say hiring an attorney for either criminal or civil matters costs thousands of dollars.

The standard hourly rate for attorneys with decades of experience is about $350 an hour, with a $4,000 to $5,000 retainer, Robin Flores said by phone.

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Most attorneys also charge a flat fee that guarantees legal services, he said.

For example, an attorney fee is typically around $5,000 for misdemeanor cases and about $10,000 and up for a felony case.

If those prices seem out of reach, there may be free legal services available.

FREE SERVICES

Those who demonstrate a financial inability to afford a private attorney in a criminal case will be appointed a public defender.

Those who are low income may be able to acquire free representation in civil matters through Legal Aid of East Tennessee, O’Donnell said by phone.

The nonprofit firm assists with most civil legal issues from evictions to orders of protection to consumer issues such as credit card debt, she said.

“If the caller qualifies and we have funding and the staff capacity to help, we will help,” she said.

Members of the public can call 423-756-4013 or 800-572-7457 to check if they qualify for Legal Aid’s assistance or fill out an online application at laet.org/contact-us.

Tennesseans can also ask free civil legal questions through the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Executive Director Laura Brown said by phone. The confidential advice line can be reached at 844-435-7486.

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Some people may also qualify to ask civil questions online to pro bono attorneys at not cost at tn.freelegalanswers.org, Brown said.

RESEARCHING ATTORNEYS

The best way to find skilled attorneys is by word of mouth, Flores said, but there are online research methods, too.

The Chattanooga Bar Association has an online attorney referral service at bit.ly/ChattLawyer, and members of the public can also call 423-602-9430 to be matched with an attorney who suits their needs.

Members of the public should also look up an attorney’s disciplinary past, Flores said.

In Tennessee, an attorney’s record can be searched through the Board of Professional Responsibility at bit.ly/LawyerRecord.

THE CONSULTATION

It’s safe to reveal the specifics of a case with an attorney you have not hired, as long as the communications remain between the person seeking legal advice and the attorney, according to the four attorneys interviewed for this story.

Lawyers cannot be forced to disclose information shared by a client during a legal consultation, Davis said.

“Anything you tell me is privileged and confidential whether or not you choose to hire me,” she said. “If they come and meet with me and tell me everything about their case and then choose not to hire me, that’s OK.”

And the same goes for reputable free services with licensed attorneys.

A good attorney will be honest about what services, if any, a person might need, Davis said.

“If you don’t know if you need an attorney, it never hurts to meet with one,” she said.

Contact courts reporter Sofia Saric at [email protected] or 423-757-6476.