You may feel a mixture of emotions if facing criminal charges. Shame, guilt and embarrassment may be among them, even if you did nothing illegal.
When you meet with your attorney, you may be reluctant to tell them everything for fear of what they might think of you if they were to know the truth. Can you keep secrets from them or do you need to be totally honest?
Transparency is critical
Your attorney’s job is to do their best to defend you against the charges and seek the best possible outcome for you. Only finding out a vital fact in court could derail their attempts to do so. Even more so if it contradicts something they have been telling the court.
For example, you stand accused of an assault on someone you told your attorney you have never met. That is the line they follow until the prosecution produces evidence to show that you were once in a relationship with the sister of the victim. Your attorney has wasted time pursuing an erroneous line of defense. The jury is left wondering what other claims you and your attorney made are untrue.
Your attorney is not there to defend you, not judge
Your attorney is a professional who will have defended many people accused of crimes before. They know better than anyone that not everyone charged is guilty and that one mistake does not make someone a bad person.
What you tell them will remain confidential
Your attorney will not share the information you give them without your permission. There may be occasions when they believe it is best to speak up about something you would rather keep hidden, but they will always check with you first and explain why it would be beneficial.
