Preparing to Meet with a Criminal Defense Attorney

 Posted on July 23, 2018 in Criminal Defense

If you have been charged with a federal crime - or even if you believe you are suspected of a crime -- your next step should be to meet with an Illinois criminal attorney. Your attorney is your advocate in court, so you will want your first meeting to be productive and set the right tone for the entire attorney-client relationship.

Preparing for your initial meeting with an attorney will not only set you up for success, but it could also help you minimize costs. Here are five things you can gather to prepare for your first criminal attorney meeting:

1. Your personal information. You may be asked for your contact information, birth date, employment information, and next of kin information. Depending on the type of case, your attorney may also need your driver’s license number, license plate number and Social Security number.
2. A narrative of what happened. Writing down your recollection of the events leading up to the situation is a critical step in the preparation of your case with your attorney. You do not have to state if you committed any crimes. Think about how you would explain what happened to someone who had no knowledge of the situation. You should be as detailed as possible. You may not need to show this document to your attorney, but getting your thoughts organized will help you.
3. Police and court documentation plus other evidence. Any documents you have received from the police or court should be brought to your attorney. Such documents include: police reports, warrants, indictments, search warrants and court filings. These documents are important for the attorney as he will be able to see something about the strength of the case against you by reviewing them. Also, any other evidence you have or can obtain is often helpful. This could include photos of the crime scene area, screenshots of text messages of social media posts, security camera footage and receipts. In many instances, security camera footage is taped over quickly, so getting a copy of the footage while it exists can be crucial.
4. Your goals for the representation. You should also have an idea about what you want to get out of your representation. Some clients want to maintain their innocence and go to trial. Others want our firm’s assistance in a plea deal.
5. Questions for your attorney. Writing down a list of questions for our attorney can make your meeting more productive. You may be curious to know if our firm has represented people charged with similar crimes. You may want to know about our attorney’s experience with plea bargains. Other common questions relate to fees and billing.

Contact a Chicago, IL Criminal Defense Attorney

As a client at our firm, you will be treated with respect, and we promise to take your case seriously. We understand what is on the line. By preparing before your meetings with us, you will be helping your case move forward productively and efficiently. To schedule an initial meeting with a helpful Chicago, IL criminal defense lawyer, call 312-629-0669 today.

Source:

http://www.cccba.org/community/find-a-lawyer/get-prepared.php