Criminal Defense Attorneys often deal with life and death issues. They carry the future of their clients in their hands and as you might expect with that type of responsibility can come a hefty price tag. Because there is no way for the Criminal Defense Lawyers to recoup their operating costs through the courts they must charge their clients a substantial amount of money just to be retained. The only limits on Criminal Defense Attorney�s rates are the limits of their clients� portfolios. The best criminal attorneys fetch premium retainer fees and do so because their win records make them highly sought after. Unfortunately not everyone can afford the most expensive Criminal Defense Attorney and thus once again research is critical. Learn about your attorney; what is their win/lost record, how many criminal cases have they tried, what is their philosophy, what kind of resources do they have at their disposal. Remember don�t be afraid to ask questions of your Criminal Defense Lawyer. You must trust your Criminal Defense Attorney and feel that they are doing what is best for you. If you�re not convinced of these things up front then it might be a good idea to look around some more.