Friday, January 9, 2015

HOW TO HELP YOUR ATTORNEY HELP YOU, Part 4 Final

If you have been arrested or given a summons for a traffic or criminal offense you will probably need to seek the advice of an attorney. There are several things you can do that will assist you in allowing your attorney to do the best job possible for you.

In this four part series of "How to Help Your Attorney Help You", Attorney at Law Michael S. Davis discusses:
When should I contact an attorney?
What should I look for in an attorney?
What should I bring for my appointment?
What do I tell my attorney?

WHAT DO I TELL MY ATTORNEY

In short, you need to tell your attorney everything you know about the case. When you interview with an attorney, whether you end up hiring that attorney or not, your conversation is protected under the Attorney-Client Privilege. What this means is that your attorney can not share any information you confide to him or her with anyone including the police, prosecutors or others. The exception to this rule is to advise others working in your defense with your attorney in order to assist you. This is done on a need to know basis.

It is important that you give your attorney all the information that you have including not only things favorable to you, but those things that are detrimental to your case. Attorneys understand that sometimes not all clients are innocent or have acted in a manner that they should have. It is unlikely that you can tell your attorney anything that he or she has not heard before. You must put aside embarrassment, guilt or thoughts of protecting others at your own expense to inform your attorney of your situation in the same way you would divulge information to your doctor about your health concerns. Remember, your attorney is on your side and he or she is not there to judge you. There is someone in a black robe that will do that. Your attorney only wants to gather information to best assist you in your case.

Some clients express concern that if they tell “the bad things” or “admit guilt” that the attorney will not work as hard for them or will judge them. Again, we can only give you the best advice and develop the best strategies for your defense if we have correct information. The one place an attorney never wants to find out that a client has not been truthful is in the courtroom, by then it is too late to correct the problem.


At the Law Office of Michael S Davis, we would be happy to discuss your situation at no cost and help you determine your best course of action.

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