Pretrial Criminal Defense

Liberty Investigations takes pretrial criminal defense cases on a selective basis, with a focus on serious felony and federal matters handled by retained counsel.

Court-appointed and CJA pretrial budgets are often set too low to authorize the scope a case needs. We would rather pass than take on a matter we cannot work properly. The budget is not always the last word, though. Some attorneys are willing to ask the court to order a higher hourly rate or additional funding, which can make a case workable. Where counsel is open to that, we are glad to talk it through.

Scope of the Work

Pretrial fact investigation supports defense counsel from arrest through trial, developing the factual record the defense will rely on at motions, plea negotiations, and trial. The work commonly includes:

• Locating and interviewing witnesses, including people who were present but never named in the official reports.
• Background research on witnesses and others connected to the case.
• Collecting records, including records available pretrial through subpoena.
• Scene investigation, including canvassing, documenting, and photographing conditions.
• Identifying and preserving video before agency and private systems overwrite it.
• Suppression motion support and digital evidence review.
• Coordination with defense experts and mitigation specialists where retained.

Working with Counsel

Engagements vary in scope. Some cases call for a full investigation from arrest forward. Others involve a defined set of tasks counsel needs handled, such as locating a particular witness or running down a single line of inquiry. We work to whatever scope counsel sets.Getting Started

Getting Started

Reach out by phone, email, or contact form to discuss the case. Pretrial engagements begin with a retainer, and we do not offer post-service billing on pretrial matters. Given the selective nature of pretrial work, an initial consultation is the best way to determine whether we are the right fit for your matter.