When it comes to the legal system, a lot of people are unsure of when they should tell the truth or lie in order to put themselves in a better light. Lying can serve to hurt your case, but that doesn’t mean you should always tell the truth and nothing but the truth to the cops. Instead of talking, simply exercise your rights and remain silent. But when it comes to your lawyer, you’re going to want to talk. So should you tell them the truth, or lie about your involvement in the crime?
Telling The Truth
There are a couple important reasons why it is very important that your tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when you’re discussing your case with your lawyer. Here’s why:
1. Attorney/Client Privilege – What this means is that anything you tell your lawyer must remain between you and your lawyer. Your defense lawyer isn’t going to tell the prosecution where they can find the gun or that you really had five beers before getting behind the wheel. What you say stays between you and your lawyer. Your lawyer can lose their license for breaking this privilege, so you can trust that your honest story will be held in confidence.
2. Plan Your Defense – The most crucial reason why you need to be open and honest with your defense lawyer is because telling them the truth allows them to put forth the best defense possible. If they know you were over the legal limit when you got behind the wheel, they can spend their time challenging other aspects of the arrest, like the traffic stop, what the officer said to you and whether or not your rights were infringed. If your lawyer wastes time pursuing a defense that the prosecution can discredit because you lied, you’re going to have a much harder time winning the case. We’re not here to judge, so tell us the truth, because this allows us to put up the best defense possible.
3. We’re Not Leaving – Some people are afraid that if they admit that they are guilty to their lawyer that they will not take the case or that they’ll drop them from their caseload. There are so many different factors, many of which you probably haven’t considered, that go into “being guilty,” so even if you believe you were in the wrong, we can still build a case for you. Even if it’s clear that winning will be hard, we can work with the prosecution to get a reduced sentence or lesser charges, so don’t be afraid to open up to your hired lawyer.
4. No Surprises – The final reason why you shouldn’t lie to your criminal defense lawyer is because if we know the whole story, nothing will surprise us in court. If we can prepare for every angle the prosecution is going to take, odds are we can cast a decent amount of reasonable doubt. But if you lie to your lawyer about being at the warehouse on the night of the robbery, and video surveillance catches you in the act, we’re going to be up a creek without a paddle. If we can prepare for all outcomes, we can build a defense for any path the prosecution decides to take.
So if you’re looking for a criminal defense lawyer in the Twin Cities, trust your case and your story to Avery Appelman and the team at Appelman Law Firm. Contact us for a free case review at (952) 224-2277.
