Be Honest With Your Lawyer

This may seem like an obvious statement, but it is really important to tell your attorney THE TRUTH when asked a question about the case. 

Attorneys typically will ask their clients questions about the case and what really happened.  Occasionally, the attorney will get a police report or interview of a witness or recorded jail calls which might be contrary to what the client has told the attorney in the past.

If this happens and your attorney asks you questions about it....you have to tell him or her truth, because nothing is worse than to have a lie exposed in trial, in front of a jury that has your freedom or life in their hands.  If there is bad news, or bad facts and your attorney asks you about them, tell your attorney the truth. 

Our job is to deal with bad facts and talk to you about them, because they may not be as bad as you think.  Or else there maybe investigation we need to conduct to counter the bad evidence or facts that have come to light.  If it comes to light in trial it is too late and it is hard to overcome. 

Sometimes, I have had clients tell me the truth after lying initially, and I ask them why they did not tell me earlier.  A common response I get is, "I was embarrassed to tell you."  Please understand, you are not going to offend us.  Most attorneys understand you are in a major fight (sometimes the fight of your life) and it can cloud judgment or just cause you to panic and not trust or tell anyone the truth.

If you have taken the time, effort and money to hire an attorney, you owe it to yourself to cooperate fully with him.  Anything you tell us we take to our grave due to the attorney-client privilege, unless we think it is beneficial to your case in trial or plea negotiations and only after we have discussed that with you. 

 An attorney should provide you with an open path to communication through jail visits and / or phone calls.  Use that path and tell your attorney everything they want to know.