I Didn't Do It. And If I Did, Why Should I Tell My Lawyer?

One of the worst mistakes a client can make is not telling their lawyer what actually happened. By not telling the lawyer the whole truth, you leave yourself with legal advice that you cannot rely on.

How Do I Know I Can Trust My Lawyer?

You are charged with a criminal offense, or you would not have a criminal defense lawyer. In selecting the lawyer, you need to take the time to interview the lawyer, to ask the lawyer questions about the charges you are facing. You need to ask what the potential sentence could be, and what the lawyer thinks of the State's case. As the lawyer answers your questions, you have an oppportunity to listen and watch this person in whose hands you are thinking of placing your case, and potentially, your future. If you are dissatisfied, do not retain the lawyer. If you think the lawyer does not know what they are doing, you should not ask them to represent you. If you decide to trust the lawyer and ask them to represent you, then you need to tell the lawyer every detail of what occurred. Your future depends on the lawyer giving you the correct advice. If you do not tell the lawyer the truth, how can you make good decisions from their advice?

How Do I Know What To Tell My Lawyer? That His Advice Is Good?

If you trust the lawyer to represent you, you need to tell the lawyer what happened. The lawyer is not your judge, and does not really care whether you did the crime or not. A true defense lawyer cares about the law. The lawyer cares about whether the facts (the real facts) establish a legal basis for the cops to do what they did. A defense lawyer looks for the defect in the State's case. Telling the lawyer only part of the truth, or misleading the lawyer by telling him something that no witness can testify to truthfully, hurts your case, hurts your defense, and potentially ends up with you convicted when the truth may have provided the lawyer with a legal argument that could have protected you. If you trust the lawyer, tell the lawyer the whole truth. Listen to their advice, and ask questions. If you do these things, you can rely on the advice as being solidly based on legal principles. Then you can make intelligent decisions as to how you want your lawyer to defend you.