Criminal charges of any type are not to be taken lightly. A conviction will change the course of your life to the point that you may never get back on track. Whether you’re facing sexual assault charges, allegations of theft, or even something like driving under the influence, secure legal counsel at once. After hiring the lawyer, commit to cooperating in every way that you can. Here are some tips that will help you get started.
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Be Completely Honest With Your Lawyer
Nothing good ever comes from attempting to hide information from your criminal lawyer. It doesn’t matter what the reasons for doing so are; failing to disclose everything to your legal counsel is a sure way to undermine any attempt at a defense.
Don’t be concerned about sharing something that may not look good for you or happens to be embarrassing. The same is true for hiding information in an attempt to protect someone else. What you share with your criminal lawyer remains with the two of you unless it’s relevant to the case. At that point, it will be included in the plans for your defense. Depending on what you share, it might even be grounds for getting the charges dropped.
Make Yourself Available When the Lawyer Needs to Talk
The situation calls for more than an initial consultation and then meeting on the court date. Your lawyer will be in touch; it’s to your advantage to respond as quickly as you can.
The communications may be by text, email, or phone call. There may be the need to meet face to face. Whatever form it takes, know that your lawyer is contacting you for a reason. A quick response along with truthful information will allow your legal counsel to continue moving forward with plans for the defense.
Avoid Places and People Based on Recommendations by Your Legal Counsel
Depending on the nature of the charges, it may be in your best interests to not be seen in certain venues until after the matter is settled. The same goes for spending time around specific individuals. If your lawyer recommends that you stay away from places or people, take that advice seriously. The goal is to minimize the chances of you doing anything that could undermine the defense strategy.
Follow Your Lawyer’s Lead in the Courtroom
Do expect to receive some advice about how to conduct yourself in the courtroom. That include tips on how to dress, why speaking out of turn will hurt rather than help your situation, and even how to go about communicating discreetly with your legal counsel. Everything the lawyer tells you to do is designed to create the best possible impression on the court. That includes the jury if one is present as well as the judge.
The ultimate goal is to face the charges squarely and do everything that can legally be done to beat them. Hiring one of the qualified criminal law professionals in the area is the first step. Once you have legal counsel, resolve to follow all advice to the letter. Also commit to telling your criminal lawyer everything that you can remember, no matter how small or insignificant it may be. Doing so increases the odds for success and hopefully will allow you to put this unfortunate in the past where it belongs.