Thoughtful, Experienced Criminal Defense

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Law Office Policies For Attorney Russ Hunt, Jr.

If you or a loved one have been accused of a criminal offense, you want to locate an attorney who will not only stand by you in court but also address your personal concerns as you address the allegations. Attorney Russ Hunt, Jr., gets it…this is a potentially life-changing situation.

Criminal defense attorney Russ Hunt, Jr., and his staff can help make your experience as anxiety-free as possible. To that end, he lays out clearly defined policies regarding your business relationship, what you can expect while working with him, and how you can contribute to a great outcome for your case. If you ever have any concerns or questions during the time we work with you, please reach out.

Law Office Policies

Confidentiality

By law, the information you share with Mr. Hunt and his staff regarding your case is confidential, and it’s written in the hiring contract you sign. This is known as attorney-client privilege, and it means you can safely tell your attorney everything he needs to know to defend you effectively. Like a doctor, your lawyer must know the details of your predicament – privately and from your side – to fully protect you. Your attorney must – and will – defend you without judgment. What you don’t tell him can harm your case. What you do share can only help.

This law also applies to free consultations. Even if you speak to several lawyers before hiring the one of your choices, all of them must keep your information confidential as well. In a legal sense, your privacy is protected. Information from your phone calls, emails, texts, and discussions will never leave our office.

Payment

We welcome your full payment when you hire Mr. Hunt, but we understand that’s not always possible. For this reason, we frequently offer payment plans and will generally accept an initial down payment when you sign a hiring contract. After that, you’ll make monthly payments until we’re paid in full – ideally, before your case is settled. Please let us know if you’d like to arrange a payment plan. We accept credit cards, checks, and cash.

Our contract is a two-way commitment that holds both parties to expectations. You’ll expect Russ to represent and advise you about your case as needed, both in and out of the courtroom. At the same time, we expect that you’ll continue with regular monthly payments as defined in our contract. If you’re not able to pay on a certain month, please communicate this to us, and we’ll work with you.

Cost For Services

Our cost for services is determined by the unique issues surrounding your case, and we’ll quote the full fee after an initial discussion with you. Since most cases are settled without a trial, the initial fee you will pay does not include trial costs. The contract will spell out the additional cost if we can’t work out a satisfactory outcome out of court and you choose to try your case.

Record Access

You are always entitled to copies of every record in your file; we provide these at no additional cost to you. These documents include court records, correspondence with prosecutors and witnesses, and other notes and letters. You may also review the written and recorded evidence we receive pertaining to your charges, which includes arrest videos and your statements to the police as well.

Contact Hours

We accept and return phone calls, emails, and texts as soon as possible; response time is faster during regular business days and hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Whenever we’re not available, our round-the-clock phone staff or answering service will ensure that your message reaches us. On nights and weekends, we’ll respond to urgent calls and emails as soon as possible. If you have an emergency that affects your case (i.e., you can’t get to a scheduled court appearance), please note it in your message.

Bail Bonds/Jail Release

If you need bond assistance after an arrest, Mr. Hunt can provide the names of several local bail bondsmen for Williamson County cases who can guide you through the process. This is a courtesy service, as our practice in Williamson County is normally not involved in the actual bonding process and most counties where Russ practices require either that the entire bond amount be posted with the court or that a surety bond with a bail bondsman be posted.

In Travis County, all but the most serious cases will be released on low-cost Personal Recognizance bonds through Travis County’s pretrial release program and an attorney may be able to help expedite this process.

In federal court cases the bonding process is very different. After an interview with the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services officer, a P.R. bond may be recommended, or it may be necessary to conduct a detention hearing to request bond release. Following the hearing, the judge can release on conditions, can require a cash deposit for release or can hold an individual with no bond. Different types of cases have different considerations, presumptions and requirements for release on bond. Surety bonds and bail bondsmen are normally not involved with bonding in Federal cases.

Length Of Time

At the onset of your criminal case, you may wonder how long it will be before the whole thing is over. Our best answer is: it depends on the severity of the charges against you and the complexity of developing a defense to the charges. It can take weeks – often months – and rarely, even years to move a case through the court system It may seem that your case only progresses inside the courtroom, but the true work happens between those monthly-or-so court appearances, as Mr. Hunt reviews the evidence and works with prosecutors to negotiate your best possible outcome. Generally speaking, delay works in the defense’s favor because it maximizes the amount of time for negotiation and legal maneuvering, but let Russ know if there is some need to dispose of the case quickly and he can work toward a quicker resolution.

Relationships With Prosecutors And Judges

Since Mr. Hunt has been representing Williamson and Travis County clients for over 20 years, he’s represented thousands of clients in front of many area prosecutors and judges.  While courts are barred from giving “preferential” treatment to any particular attorneys or their clients, Russ’s experience with key decision-makers and excellent reputation as an advocate for his clients helps him know the best approach to each of the players in the system in order to negotiate the best outcome for your case and to maneuver your case into the most favorable position possible.

Challenges To Wrongfully Seized Evidence Or Miranda Violation

Mr. Hunt thoroughly examines all of the procedural factors and physical or circumstantial evidence in your criminal case and, if necessary, is quick to question its validity. For many reasons, some evidence simply won’t hold up in court. Police, labs and devices all make occasional errors, and timing is everything. Russ will address any concerns you may have about the evidence being used against you. Sometimes evidence necessary to the prosecution can be suppressed or thrown out of court. Sometimes the threat of suppression is enough to achieve a dismissal, reduction to lesser charges or a better-negotiated settlement. Mr. Hunt will fully explore the evidence in your case from every possible angle to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

Court Date Notifications

The courts hold you – the client – responsible for verifying and attending all scheduled court appearances, and we will inform you of future dates when we appear in court and obtain the new dates. Some courts send out written notifications to defendants as well. We always inform our clients of upcoming court dates that they will need to attend.

Living in the Williamson/Travis County area has certain advantages in this regard – our courthouses are more technologically connected than many across the state, and case docketing information is easily available online for felony and misdemeanor cases in each county.

Please remember that any reminders you receive from our office will only reflect the information you have already received from us, and the court will anticipate your timely arrival. Since Williamson and Travis County dockets are always very busy, your timely presence ensures that these tight schedules run smoothly. If you’re in a true emergency situation and can’t make it to an appearance, please contact us – as soon as possible so that we can attempt to reschedule without your presence being required.

Can We Guarantee A Certain Outcome?

If you’re planning to pay Russ – or any attorney – a considerable sum to represent you in a criminal matter, you may be wondering if we can guarantee a certain outcome. While we will always work to provide you with the best defense possible, we can’t promise that your case will be dismissed, or the charges dropped, or that you’ll be found “not guilty”. Any lawyer who promises you a certain outcome is not telling you the truth.

We can, however, guarantee the following:

  • We won’t judge. You can feel safe sharing the details you think we’ll need to know to represent you best. We protect your information and ensure that it’s only used in your defense.
  • We’ll be accessible. We’ll return your phone calls, respond to emails and be available to meet within a reasonable time frame. When you need us, we’ll be there.
  • We’ll respond to and address your concerns regarding fairness, legality, admissible evidence, and interrogations. We’ll advise you concerning work and family issues arising from your case.
  • We’ll be honest about elements of your case that work in your favor, as well as issues that may be problematic. We’ll work to frame your case in a more positive light.
  • We’ll discuss mitigating factors in your case, as well as activities you can engage in (drug/alcohol education courses, pretrial diversion, education programs) to work toward a better outcome.
  • We’ll move your case forward in the manner you agree is best – no matter how long it takes. You’re in the driver’s seat, and sometimes you really need and deserve a jury trial. If you want it, you’ll get your day in court.

Grievances

As of September 1, 1991, the State Bar Act requires all attorneys practicing law in Texas to notify their clients of the existence of the formal grievance process. The State Bar of Texas investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct committed by Texas attorneys. Although not every complaint against or dispute with a lawyer involves professional misconduct, the State Bar Office of General Counsel will provide me with information about how to file a complaint. If you have a complaint against any Texas lawyer, you can call 800-932-1900. This is a toll-free telephone call.

Second Opinions

It’s not uncommon for a client to feel some anxiety about the advice his or her attorney is giving during the stressful course of a criminal case. The high level of pressure that can be involved during the criminal process, the financial pressures, and the stress of living with the uncertainty of what may happen in the future can unfortunately create a climate where it is difficult for a client to assess the quality of the advice he or she is receiving. And sometimes, a client simply loses trust in his or her attorney. In the attorney-client relationship, the client is the ultimate “decider” in the case and always has the right to seek outside opinions to ensure that the advice from his lawyer helps to make the best possible decisions.

Mr. Hunt regularly fields calls from clients of other attorneys who are seeking a second opinion and will discuss with them whether he may consider a different strategy or whether the existing attorney’s strategy is sound. Sometimes a client just needs to hear from more than one professional to help them know who to trust. In the event that you consult Mr. Hunt to obtain a second opinion, that conversation is covered by the attorney-client privilege, and you get to decide whether your current lawyer is informed that you have been seeking second opinion.

Finding The Right Lawyer

Your choice of a criminal defense attorney is an important one – sometimes the most important choice you’ll ever make. While one of your key considerations may have cost, other factors will determine the quality of your relationship with the lawyer you hire. Will they return calls, texts or emails promptly? Will they listen to your concerns and address each one to your satisfaction? Have they handled many other cases like yours?

Russ has an entire page devoted to helping you decide which attorney is the right one to handle your case. Click THIS LINK to visit that page.

Former Client Referrals

We’d love to let you contact our many satisfied former clients and (sometimes) repeat customers, but their identities are protected by law. Please check out our testimonials page and our GOOGLE business site to read comments from former clients who can happily share their insights. It’s been our privilege to serve each one of them.

Online Payments

If you use our online payment service, payments made through this website are handled through a third-party payment processor. While we do not provide your credit card information to third parties, your card information is passed through a secure connection to our third-party provider, who may retain that information by law and according to the terms of their privacy policies or other agreements.

We retain website payment information in accordance with Federal and state laws. That information includes the name of the payer and may include additional information such as the payor’s address and telephone number. Again, we do not share this information unless required to do so by law.