3 Things You Need To Do If You Are Charged With A Crime

If you have been arrested it is important that you do everything to protect yourself. Even if you have been falsely accused, you should make sure that you are not doing anything to incriminate yourself. The police obviously have some reason to suspect you, so you need to make sure that you are careful about what you do and say. Here are a couple things that will protect you.

1. Don't Say Anything Without A Lawyer

It is incredibly important that when you are arrested that you don't say anything. Once the police read you your Miranda rights, everything you say will be on record. That means that they can use anything you say against you in your trial. Even saying something like, "I didn't mean to" might be an admission of guilt. Thus, play it safe and protect yourself. Keep quiet, until you can meet with your lawyer.

2. Request A Lawyer As Soon As Possible, Don't Try To Represent Yourself 

The moment you are arrested you should ask for a lawyer. You can either hire your own lawyer, or you can have one appointed to you. Once again, it doesn't matter if you are innocent or guilty; a lawyer will only be there to help you.

There are specific rules about how to act in court and what you should and shouldn't say. For this reason, you should never try to represent yourself. You could make costly mistakes in court that could make the difference between a guilty and not guilty verdict. That is why it is important that you hire a lawyer from the moment you are charged with a crime. 

3. Tell The Truth

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is elaborate a story to make themselves sounds more likable, appear innocent, or protect someone else. This will only harm you. It is very likely that the truth will come out eventually, and if you don't tell the truth you lose creditability with the judge, as well as with your attorney. That is why it is important to be straight-forward and honest with your law firm. They will figure out the best defense for your specific crime, and how to appear in court. They will never tell you to lie. Instead, they will try to get you the best sentence possible for the crime if you are guilty. If you are innocent then they will work to get you exonerated.


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