www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Thought that this might be interesting to have those with knowledge advise us about cost of defending a criminal case in Costa Rica. Maybe not, lol..

Recently, I learned that a business associate had a criminal case in San Diego, Ca and, over the one year period of the case, spent about $175k on his defense. The attorney was able to settle the case for no jail time and some probation. For info, the bail was $50k and the charges could have put him away for over 20 years.

I read on the CubaDave website that good criminal attorneys are MORE expensive in Costa Rica.

Since CubaDave is facing this problem, what do those with any experience or knowledge think that he will pay over the space of the next year on attorney's fees and costs.

My purpose here is to further inform the board what costs would/could be faced in the unlikely event of being thrown in jail for any reason.

Have a Great Day,

Dave

Unless you are being ripped off by your good criminal attorney in CR, the cost for this service should be significantly less expensive than the equivalent service in San Diego, CA....along the lines of comparable medical services between the two countries.

Of course, this is a situation where many personal and emotional factors would come into play. YMMV really applies here

Sounds plausible. Are you speaking from personal knowledge and/or experience?

_________________
Why settle for just one woman when you can enjoy them all?

Dave, there is (IMHO) no simple answer to your question. Too many factors and variables involved such as: Defendant is Asian, European, Gringo tourist, Gringo ex-pat, or Latino (non Tico), or Tico? Every one of these will, in all likelihood, get a different price from the same attorney for defending the exact same case. Also, I listed them in the most likely order of cost from highest to lowest. This also generally holds true even with the cost of the same house here. Many years ago I looked at a house here. My Tica novia (from one of prominent "old" families here) was told the price if she bought it was $35000, if I bought it- $70000, if a European bought it- $90000, and if it was an Asian-$110000.

Also, and I know that in the context of your question we are talking about Dave's (the other Dave) case. the type of criminal case, the likelihood of plea-bargaining, and in this case, the newness and un-proven legality of the law(s) involved all come into play when talking legal costs.

All that said, I also read the comment about criminal attorneys being more expensive here; and I certainly could be wrong; but based on what I know to be a fact, I certainly would doubt the validity of that statement (depending on the attorney and the case.). I am sure you could find one who would gladly charge much more than in the states, but I think you could also find many good attorneys who would charge much less than in the states.

By the way I sure wish I had bought that house (let her buy it and then transferred it to mi!) Just the 3 hectares of land today (with the location) would be worth much more that the Asian price was back then.

Also, while I am at it: I would like to make a comment or two. As I think everyone knows I do not like Dave at all because of what he did that directly involved me, and also because of all the pain he has caused many of the chicas we all like!! That said, I would NEVER want to see him nor any one have to spend time in a Costa Rican prison. I would never want to see anyone be subjected to imprisonment for months or even as is often the case here, years, without ever being formally charged, much less convicted!

Also, even if the validity of the new law is eventually upheld, did he actually ever break the law IN THIS COUNTRY? AND, as for him promoting sex tourism in CR, I am not at all sure that is what he was doing--he was promoting HIMSELF!!!!

POINT IS, ANYTHING ANYONE OF US CAN DO TO HELP GET A FELLOW AMERICAN OUT OF JAIL HERE SHOULD BE DONE!!! ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS LAW!!

_________________
Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

BB, why is it more expensive for the Asian than the European? Dislike the Asians more or they think the Asians are more willing to pay the higher price.

I really think is is less the case today than it was over 20 years ago when I was looking at that house, but it is kind of a combination of the two factors--dislike and perception of financial ability!!

_________________
Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

I have friends in CR who are lawyers...Tico lawyers.

BB57 is dead on right on his comments (first paragraph of his first post)...

The price of the service is highly dependent on who you are, your ability to pay...and your level of desperation, among many other factors

bandon if you have never used the services of a top notch CR criminal attorney how would you know how much they charge and how they charge? If you really have Tico friends who are lawyers then ask them and maybe they will enlighten you. Then you can come back on CRT and tell us about it.

Medical care and the way Costa Ricans access it is completely different than legal services in CR in terms of how the patient or client pays for it.

Cuba Dave is in real deep shit. If the authorities throw the book at him he gets 4-8 years and may very well die in prison. He needs help and unfortunately raising $1,500 for legal fees is not going to get him a good lawyer.

All of us have feelings on this situation and now the issue becomes is our community willing to band together and try to help CD. My guess is NO. Based on the money trickling in there does not seem to be many people willing to pony up real dollars to aid in his defense. Speaking only for myself I am not willing to pay the legal fees for a person whose done nothing but brag, brag and brag about his exploits in CR and the DR. He has previously claimed "he does not have to work because he makes money being ME" He has done nothing but inflict damage on our hobby. Now he has dug himself a ditch he may not be able to dig out from. Hopefully his family or a real well healed follower will get him a good lawyer.

In the eight years I have been on the board I have never read, or heard, a story where CD did anything for anybody but himself. Expanding on the point BB57, and others have made, he lied and exploited many women for his own ego and financial gain. These are women who are desperate for money , or they would not be in the business, who this bastard exploited as much as possible and then gave them a possible life sentence by posting there pics on an internet sex site for anyone to copy and post elsewhere on the net.

Finally, how many hints does a person need? He was kicked out of the DR and had all of his shit confiscated at a border search in Miami. His ego got in the way of his judgment and now he is paying a brutal price. A good day for CD would be for him to be released from jail and banned from the country. However I do not think a good day for CD is on the horizon.

Having lawyers in both country's + way less here. $350-$400 an hour uSA $85-$125 an hour here. Bigger cases are less money. That being said you can find lawyers here for $300 an hour but most will not take a case like this. They want corporate business or clients with money

+100 Mkink

+ 100 Getting paid is a big issue they do consider and just how much they will be able to charge a client.
The anything to do with a "Sex Case" in nature of this is something that high profile attorneys here will shy away from because of the potential professional stigma attached in this culture.

_________________
This post is provided purely for entertainment purposes and free of charge on the part of the author. No "Sex tourism or travel" promotion is expressed or implied. The author of this post was not provided any compensation for this hopefully entertaining contribution. Any posts regarding any event or hotel item are just my humble opinions only.