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SAMUEL S. SHAPIRO ATTORNEY FEES

1. A FLAT FEE RETAINER. Our retainer entitles you to the following:

a. Sam Shapiro's name on your case file. In an adversarial criminal justice system, the choice of the lawyer to best represent you is crucial. Everyone in the criminal justice system knows 'who's who' as far as people who can and cannot win trials or successfully challenge cases. Part of your flat fee retainer covers the years of experience and skill that Sam Shapiro has established in his practice of law.

b. Sam Shapiro's office will file the preliminary paperwork in your case in order to protect your rights, obtain the evidence against you, and inform the court of your intentions.

c. Sam Shapiro's office will obtain the evidence against you so that you may evaluate that evidence. Typically, the evidence includes video or audio tapes or police or lab reports.

d. Obtaining the evidence is one thing, knowing how to evaluate the evidence is quite another. Sam Shapiro will examine the evidence in your case to determine if your rights were violated or if the police officer violated established procedure for conducting the investigation. These matters affect credibility and may lead to various motions for suppression or in limine or for dismissal depending on the facts of your case. Further, in the OWI area, knowledge of both law and science is crucial to evaluating the strength or weakness of the particular case, and Sam Shapiro has this knowledge.

e. Sam Shapiro's office will make sure you are represented at all pretrial conferences, probably by Ms. Emerick, Mr. Shapiro's associate.

f. Sam Shapiro's office will negotiate with the prosecutor's office about your case in an effort to reach the goal that you set for the case.

g. Sam Shapiro will make a recommendation for action in your case based upon the evidence he reviews and the goal that you have set for the case.

2. A FLAT FEE FOR DEPOSITIONS. Our flat fee deposition fee includes:

a. Sam Shapiro's office hires the Certified Court Reporter and pays for their time and efforts in recording and typing the depositions. This may include travel time and cancellation or appearance fees.

b. Sam Shapiro's office issues the necessary subpoenas for the deposition and coordinates the scheduling of witness, prosecutor, and lawyer. We also provide a location for the depositions if necessary.

c. Sam Shapiro prepares for the deposition by studying your evidence with the latest cases and research in order to ask those questions most beneficial to the presentation of reasonable doubt or police or witness error in you case. This preparation takes time. YOU WILL RECEIVE COPIES OF THE DEPOSITIONS.

d. Sam Shapiro invests whatever time is necessary to travel and complete the deposition questioning.

3. A FLAT FEE FOR PLEA BARGAINS OR DISMISSALS

a. Sam Shapiro's office continues its negotiations with the prosecutor as the case progresses. If an agreement is reached the plea bargain is typed into a contract between the State and Defense and presented to the judge for approval. Our office, probably Ms. Emerick, will attend as the court puts it final approval on your agreement. The court may reject the agreement (typically the judge thinks the punishment is too lenient), if so, our office will continue with the negotiations based on the court's concerns and our position in light of the rejection.

b. Sam Shapiro's office will file and determine if there is a legal technicality or a negotiating position that results in dismissal.

4. A FLAT FEE FOR TRIAL PREPARATION. Trial preparation is the meat and potatoes of the work in your case. The trial itself is actually enjoyable for a trial lawyer. The preparation is not. You are paying for the preparation of the case for trial, not for the trial itself, although, if the trial does occur, Sam Shapiro will be there and conduct the trial. If there is a trial, it is included within the preparation fee.

a. Sam Shapiro will prepare your case presentation including your preparation as a witness, any witnesses favorable to the defense including any expert, and the cross examination of the State's witnesses, the theme of your case, the jury selection material, the opening and closing statements and instructions on the law.

5 EXPERT WITNESS FLAT FEE As best we are able, we give you a flat fee necessary to reserve the expert witness' time. In some cases, his fee exceeds the flat fee we quote and you must pay for the difference based on his hourly rate. In the event your case settles after we begin trial preparation in consultation with him or after the witness has reserved his time for you within a week or so of trial, the flat fee is to compensate him for that reservation of time and is non-refundable.

TIMELINE INFORMATION FOR MONROE COUNTY CLIENTS

THE MONROE COUNTY COURTS HAVE SET THESE DEADLINES, NOT OUR OFFICE.

1. On the date you retain our office we will request discovery information. This is the police and lab reports, witness statements, and audio/video recordings pertaining to your arrest.

The State is suppose to have this information to us within 15 days of our request in misdemeanor cases and 21 days in felony cases.

2. We will mail all discovery, except for the video, the day it is received by our office. (We ask that you pick up the video if you live locally as the tapes tend to get damaged in the mail.) Once you have reviewed all discovery (including video), set up an appointment with Mr. Shapiro. This will need to be done a minimum of one week prior to the first pretrial conference date. You will be required to attend the pretrial conference date, but we must inform the court of your decision for plea agreement or depositions by that time.

3. If you make the decision for a PLEA AGREEMENT, we must inform the Judge prior to the pretrial conference and the court will set you for a change of plea hearing. You will be shown a video advisement of your rights at 8:00 a.m. on the date of your change of plea hearing, and then will be required to return later that day for your actual hearing. We will appear with you at the change of plea hearing, but not at the video advisement of rights. The court will then have you make an appointment with probation. At that point we will then send you a final bill and close your file. If you have questions regarding anything that occurred during the court process you are welcome to call or make an appointment. We are always happy to try and assist even when your file is closed!

If you make the decision to take DEPOSITIONS, you must immediately remit the deposition fee to our office for the depositions, preferably at your appointment to review discovery. We will need to get the depositions scheduled and completed prior to the final pretrial conference date.

NOTES

Samuel S. Shapiro
Attorney at Law
4334 East Third St.
Bloomington, IN 47401
(812) 336-8192
office@samshapiro.com