One of the first things people do when they are accused of a felony is to seek out an experienced defense attorney. Your attorney will represent you and guide you through the legalities of your charges.
But, before they can go through with your case, they’ll need to know a few things — and that may make you uncomfortable. There are a lot of personal matters that people would rather keep private. You may ask yourself what exactly you should tell your attorney and what should you hold back? Here’s what you need to know:
Your attorney represents you, not judges your actions
Always tell your attorney the truth – and don’t hold back. Nothing you say in private can be used against you thanks to attorney-client privilege.
Your attorney isn’t looking to know what you had for breakfast last week or what you thought about the last book you read. They are there to defend you and not bring their personal opinions into play between you and your charges.
Any previous actions or events that aren’t disclosed to your attorney before your case proceeds can make your case harder to defend. This could be a juvenile offense from years prior. You may have been accused of theft and later had the charges dropped. You could have evidence against you that makes it seem your current actions are worse than they really are.
Withheld information can make it harder for your attorney to defend you, especially if the information is sprung on them after they’ve already started to form a narrative around your defense. The more forthright you are with your defense from the start, the better the potential outcome of your case.