Nobody should work harder for you than your criminal defense attorney. After all, your rights and freedoms are on the line. However, did you know that there are some important ways you can help ensure your criminal defense attorney is as prepared as possible to defend you to the fullest? Read on to learn more about how you can take an active role in building as strong a case for yourself as possible.
First, go into your relationship with your criminal defense attorney with a spirit of cooperation. We cannot stress enough how important it is that our clients cooperate with us. At Arizona Lawyers, we represent individuals accused of horrible crimes like murder, child sexual abuse, and embezzlement—and we do not care what you are accused of. We are in this profession because we believe you have rights and that you deserve someone who will fight to protect those rights. Simply put, you never need to hide anything from us or feel like you have to “prove yourself” to us, and you will never feel as though we don’t want to help you.
A client who cooperates and tells us all the information they can, who listens to our advice and responds with thoughtful questions, and who is upfront about any issues they have with their case is a great client! At the end of the day, we work for you and the more forthcoming you are about your thoughts, what happened to you, and your concerns, the easier it is for us to secure a better resolution of your case.
Second, make sure you coordinate with your defense attorney. It is common for clients to think they should take matters into their own hands. Unfortunately, we have enough experience to know that, when that clients decide to take that route, they are virtually guaranteeing a much worse sentence for themselves—when we might be able to help them walk away with a “not guilty” verdict! One common example is with a plea bargain: often, prosecutors will approach clients with a plea bargain offer, and clients will decide without consulting with their attorney to take it. Unfortunately, this can have lifelong consequences and often result in a harsher sentence than you would have received had you decided to coordinate a response with your attorney.
The final critical thing you should do to help your criminal defense attorney build the best possible case for you is to communicate with them. Keeping in constant communication with your attorney about what is going on with your defense, any plea bargains which have been made to you, and any concerns you have with the way your case is going is the best way to ensure you get not only an outcome you anticipate, but the best possible outcome for your case.
At Arizona Lawyers, we have extensive experience representing a wide range of criminal defense clients. We work tirelessly on their behalf, and we never forget that we work for you and your rights and life are on the line. We have years of experience successfully defending clients in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Yuma, Flagstaff, and Glenndale areas, and are ready to help you. Contact us today.