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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