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Protecting Your Rights Through Trust and Engagement — Working With Your Criminal Attorney

Admin • July 6, 2017

If you've been charged with a crime, it's important that you fight any instincts you may have to panic and instead work to look ahead to the future. A criminal charge doesn't mean the end of your future, and you don't need to feel like all of your options are closed off just because you may be facing threats.

The legal system can seem complex, but you should have confidence that your attorney will be able to guide you through the process. In order for that relationship to truly thrive, however, it's important that you make a commitment to being a respectful and responsible client that's committed to productivity.

Below, you'll find a guide to some tips that should help you work with your criminal defense attorney. Keeping these suggestions in mind should go a long way toward guaranteeing that you can truly work with your lawyer as a team and should put you in a position to secure your rights and your future.

Set Up a Communication Plan

It's important to remember that the wheels of justice tend to turn very slowly. In many cases, this is a negotiating tactic on the part of the prosecution that's designed to inspire frustration in the defendant and make him or her more likely to accept a potentially unfavorable plea. If you're not careful, these delays might cause you to feel resentment toward your own lawyer.

That resentment can be avoided if you commit to staying in regular communication and trust that your attorney is doing everything he or she can to speed the process along. Set up a regular schedule of meetings and phone calls that are centered around major dates and events in your case. Make sure that you keep these appointments, and you'll never have to feel like you're being left out or left behind.

Commit To Deference

You should never forget that you have a constitutional right to remain silent, and that right exists to offer you maximum protection. Though it may be frustrating to feel like someone else is speaking on your behalf at all times, it's important to remember that your lawyer is doing so with your interests at heart. They also have the weight of their education and legal experience behind them, and that can go a long way toward finding positive outcomes.

Even if disagreements develop between you and your lawyer, you should be willing to resolve them amicably. It's important that you recognize that your attorney is likely able to take a more pragmatic and honest view of your case than you are, and as such, he or she might sometimes have to tell you something you don't want to hear. Preparing yourself for those encounters by reminding yourself of the value of honesty can go a long way.

Be Willing To Accept A Deal

In most cases, it's important that you're willing to accept the reality of your situation. An overwhelming percentage of criminal cases are brought to court because the prosecutor is certain of their evidence, and while you may resist doing so, it can become necessary to accept the inevitability of a negative outcome.

Those outcomes, however, might be able to be moderated. If you allow your lawyer to work on your behalf to find a deal, you might be able to avoided extended incarceration or oversight programs which interfere with your daily life.

The law firm of Barrett & Howell has the experience and tenacity necessary to guide you through your criminal case to a productive outcome. Relying on expertise and hard work can guarantee that you never feel ignored or left behind and will put you in a position to secure your future as strongly as possible.

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