Being charged with assault is nothing to take lightly. A conviction could mean losing your job, finding many in your social network no longer want anything to do with you, and even ending up in prison. Since you’re determined to fight assault charges and seek to clear your name, working closely with your lawyer for assault is essential. Here are a few tips on how you can do so and make things a lot easier for you and your legal counsel.
Your Lawyer Needs to Know Everything That You Know
This is not a time when you want to hold back any type of information. Your lawyer for assault will be looking for find any way to defend you and hopefully allow you to go free. That’s less likely to happen if you leave out something that only comes out when the other party brings it up in court.
It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to protect someone or feel that the information is personally embarrassing. Your lawyer is only interested in how the information can impact the case. Should you share something that’s ultimately not relevant, rest assured it will stay between you and your legal counsel. At the very least, your lawyer for assault will know how to defuse the information if it is brought up later.
But No One Else Needs to Be Taken Into Your Confidence
The depth of what you share with your lawyer does not have to occur with anyone else. In fact, you want to say as little as possible to others. That means keeping the conversations that you have with the legal counsel between the two of you. Only discuss those meetings with others if your lawyer advises you to do so.
Keeping the conversations confidential eliminates the potential for anyone else to interpret them in ways that could harm your case. It also means you don’t end up being put in a position that makes a difficult situation even worse.
Keep Your Response to Others as Vague as Possible
It’s not just about not initiating discussions about the case with others. You also want to be mindful of what’s said when others ask questions about your case or how it’s going. While you may need to provide some sort of response, keep it as general as you possibly can.
Instead of sharing specifics, let your answer be something along the lines of being happy with your choice of legal counsel and how you’re confident that all relevant facts will come out. If you’re pressed for more details, simply state that your lawyer has advised you to not share specifics with anyone.
And Listen When Your Lawyer Says to Stay Away From Certain People or Places
If your lawyer for assault recommends that you not be seen with certain people or that you avoid specific venues for a time, follow that advice. The goal is to not take actions that could provide fodder for the prosecution. If you’re not seen with those people or in those places, nothing can be made of it and complicate your case.