Help Yourself by Helping Your Attorney
If you are facing criminal charges, the first thing you need to do is find a reputable, experienced criminal defense attorney who will fight for you. Once you have that attorney, the two of you need to work together to provide the best defense possible. Achieving the best outcomes will require a few things of you:
- Be honest with your attorney. They need to know the details associated with your case. Don’t leave anything out, because, as any attorney will tell you, being surprised with unfavorable information later down the road is much tougher to deal with than facing it head-on from the get-to.
- Communicate. If there are new developments, whether they will have a positive or a negative impact on your case, share them immediately.
- Don’t talk to the police (that’s what your Miranda Rights allow) or other people about the case. That includes insurance companies, family, your boss, your cellmate in jail, or anyone else.
- Keep case materials organized. You may have emails, text messages, medical records, and more that could be relevant to your case. Don’t lose track of them! Make sure your attorney has anything and everything related to your case—again, whether it’s helpful or harmful.
- Share your goals with your attorney. What do you consider a win? Do you want to avoid time behind bars at all costs, or will a shorter sentence be acceptable compared to a maximum sentence? Their strategy going forward will be different based on your goals.
- Discuss costs. Make sure you’re on the same page about attorney’s fees and what to expect financially.
- Be on time for meetings with your attorney. Don’t waste their time.
- Be on time to any court hearings. Otherwise it will make it more difficult for your attorney to negotiate a plea deal, and it will make a poor impression on the judge, who may become disinclined to show leniency.
- Dress appropriately for court. Sweats and a Marilyn Manson t-shirt will not impress. Instead, prepare as though you are going in for a job interview. This is every bit as important.
- Avoid social media. You can be sure the prosecutor will have a team looking through everything they can find about you online and will use whatever they can to make you look bad.
- If your attorney gives you advice, listen. They are working for you, and they are making decisions based on their knowledge and experience in order to come out with a win for you. Failing to adhere to their admonishments will make that much more difficult.
Your Legal Advocate
The dedicated Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys at Lobo Law always fight for the best possible outcomes for you. To discuss your situation, contact our Las Vegas office today.
Source:
uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/mirandawarningfinal.pdf
