Working with Your Defense Attorney: How to Make the Most of Your Partnership

When you’re facing criminal charges, finding the right Augusta criminal defense attorney is critical. But it’s only the first step. How well you work with your defense attorney can play a big role in how successful your defense is.

Unfortunately, many people make mistakes in interacting with their criminal lawyers. Often, that’s because they’re trying to guess what they should and shouldn’t tell the lawyer, what may have an impact on their case, or how the defense lawyer will react to certain information. To help you avoid those pitfalls and build a productive relationship with your criminal defense attorney, here’s a list of tips.

Tips for Working with Criminal Defense Lawyers in Augusta, GA

Following these steps will help you make the most of your attorney-client relationship as you navigate the Augusta criminal justice system.

1. Don’t Delay Scheduling a Consultation With a Criminal Defense Attorney

When you’re under investigation or have been charged with a crime, you’ll have many opportunities to make serious mistakes. Often, law enforcement or the prosecuting attorney will be happy to help you make those mistakes–it makes their job easier and can weaken your defense if you choose to fight the charges later. Even if you’re thinking about pleading guilty, you should speak with a defense lawyer first. You may have defenses you are not aware of, or leverage that could get you a better deal if you do ultimately choose to plead guilty.

2. Don’t Talk about Your Case or the Incident that Led to Charges

This one is tough for most people, and that’s understandable. Facing criminal charges is stressful, and the situation is probably on your mind all the time. Unfortunately, talking about the facts surrounding your case, your discussions with your lawyer, and other aspects of the criminal charges against you can be risky.

That’s true no matter how much you trust the person you’re talking to, and it can be true even when the information you’re sharing doesn’t seem important. It’s generally best not to discuss your case with anyone until you’ve received advice from an experienced defense attorney, and then to follow your attorney’s advice about who you talk to and what you should and should not share.

3. Don’t Try to Take Control of Your Own Criminal Case

When you’re facing a problem as serious as criminal charges, you’ll naturally want to do what you can to solve it. However, those efforts may hurt more than help. For example, you might think that taking a look at the crime scene will help clear your memory so you can better explain what really happened or demonstrate why the police theory isn’t possible. Instead, you could end up accused of tampering with evidence, or leave evidence like fingerprints or DNA that might be used as evidence that you were at the crime scene. Or, you might think if you can explain what really happened to a witness, they’ll change their story and back you. But that could be construed as witness intimidation, a crime in itself.

Leave it to your criminal defense lawyer to drive the investigation and construction of your defense.

4. Never Lie to Your Criminal Defense Attorney

To represent you effectively, your attorney must have accurate information. One of the worst things that can happen to your case is to have your lawyer blindsided by new information in the courtroom, or even in a discussion with the prosecuting attorney.

Some criminal defendants are afraid to tell the whole story and try to pick and choose what information to share because they don’t want the attorney to think badly of them. Your defense lawyer is on your side–you don’t have to win them over. But they can’t build the strongest possible defense for you unless you provide all of the information and documentation they ask for and are completely honest in the process.

5. Keep in Touch with Your Defense Lawyer

How often you’ll need to communicate with your attorney will depend on the type of charges you’re facing, whether you are considering going to trial, how far along in the process you are and other factors. The important thing is to be responsive.

Your defense lawyer may give you more specific instructions about how often you should touch base and what type of cooperation they’ll need from you. At a minimum, you’ll need to pick up the phone when your attorney calls or get back to them as soon as possible, provide any information they ask for promptly, and reach out to them if you have questions or if something changes.

6. Follow Your Attorney’s Advice

The core of a successful relationship with your defense attorney is your ability to rely on and act on your lawyer’s advice. Your lawyer will likely advise you on all of the issues listed above, and may provide more detailed or even different advice on specific points relating to your case. When you have a lot at stake, it can be difficult to let go of the reins and depend on someone else’s judgment. Remember why you chose your defense attorney. Their knowledge and experience of Georgia criminal law and the Augusta-area justice system can only benefit you if you are willing to rely on it.

Talk to an Augusta Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

As an Augusta criminal defense lawyer, I know what’s at stake when you’re facing criminal charges. I also understand the importance of a strong attorney-client relationship and making sure you choose the right lawyer for you. That’s why your initial consultation is always free. You can take advantage of that time to ask questions about the charges against you, get to know the attorney, and gather the information you need to make the best decision about how to move forward.

To learn more about how our firm can help you protect your rights and fight criminal charges against you, call us at (706) 750-0501 or fill out our online contact form.