If you are ever faced with having criminal charges filed against you, the first step through the process is getting in touch with your criminal defense lawyer.
Once in contact, it's important to know all the ways you can help your lawyer defend you. After all, it's your freedom at stake. Do what you can to aid your defender in helping you keep it. Below are a few tips to essentially help you help yourself.
Step 1: Above all other things, you must be honest with your attorney. He or she must know all there is to know regarding the case. Tell them everything you know, and their odds of being able to help you skyrocket. Remember, by holding onto the truth, you're gambling with your freedom.
Step 2: Follow any and all instructions given to you by your lawyer. If you're advised not to discuss the case, don't discuss the case. If you are advised to stay away from specific individuals, then keep your space. Your attorney is doing the best they can to help you out. Listen to what they have to say.
Step 3: Show up to any and all legal proceedings and meetings on time. Show your attorney that you're just as committed to the case as they are. By arriving when you are supposed to, you will make the proceedings go much more smoothly for everyone involved. Do whatever it takes to be prompt and ready to go. A missed proceeding could end up costing you a few years.
Step 4: Make sure to stay out of any additional trouble. Don't involve yourself in any suspicious activities or with people who may get you into further trouble with the police. Become Mr. / Mrs. Perfect; a model citizen. Consider trying to make restitution payments or arrangements to pay for any damages you admit responsibility for. Find out whether restitution is even an option.
Step 5: Show the utmost respect for the justice system and your attorney. If you're lucky enough to have your case heard by a sympathetic judge, you might be cut a little slack if you have your ducks in a row. Being rude or disrespectful will never get you anywhere.
Helping your attorney defend you simply makes sense. Having someone with your best interests to work with you is ideal in any legal setting. By helping your criminal defense lawyer, you're only helping yourself.
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