Effective Ways To Communicate With A Criminal Defense Attorney When Charged With A Crime For The First Time
One bad day can lead a person who has never been charged with a crime in his or her life ending up in trouble with the law. Accidentally buying stolen merchandise, getting into an argument that turns physical, or even just mistakenly trespassing may lead to charges. Not knowing how to deal with the situation can become overwhelming due to the resulting worry and confusion. Contacting a criminal defense lawyer, such as Ewbank & Kramer, is absolutely advisable in order to procure the best counsel and representation. And having the right approach to discussing matters with a criminal defense attorney is necessary for a productive outcome.
Immediately Tell the Attorney the Charges
The first contact with the attorney should commence with telling the attorney the charges. Venting stress to the attorney by trying to explain "I made a mistake" or venturing into long-winded tales about the circumstance doesn't immediately convey critical information. Stating "I was just charged with a DUI" explicitly informs the attorney about what the legal situation actually is.
Honestly Admit Guilt
If guilty, tell the attorney the truth. Do not try to lie to the attorney or lead him/her to believe a made up story of innocence. In addition to making the lawyer feel a sense of distrust, such statements would be guiding the attorney away from making a proper assessment of how to defend you. Even though someone may legitimately be guilty of a crime, without a confession to law enforcement or other hard evidence, proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt might be difficult. The attorney has to know the whole, true story in order to effectively petition for a plea bargain or a dismissal.
Calm Down and Write Bullet Points
Rushing to call a lawyer while flustered is not going to make the initial phone call productive. People have a tendency to wander around and ramble when trying to explain legal woes, because they're nervous. Take some time to write basic bullet points about the circumstances related to the situation. Reading off the main three to five points about the arrest contributes to clarity in the discussion. If the attorney has additional questions, he/she will ask them.
Read Up on the Law
Reading the legal statutes about the crime that you've been charged with allows for asking more targeted questions of an attorney. Doing so also leads to better understanding the advice the lawyer gives and the approach he/she feels is best to take.
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