A lot of people are hesitant when they first meet an attorney. They don’t believe they can tell their lawyer the whole truth because it might make them look bad. What these people may not realize is that you can tell your attorney everything.
Attorney-Client Privilege
Attorney-client privilege is a bond between the attorney and the person they’re representing. It promises that anything told to the attorney is strictly confidential, with the exception of extreme circumstances (discussed below).
When someone signs on as a client, the attorney agrees to represent them and defend them, regardless of whether they actually committed the crime. That’s what it means to be a criminal defense lawyer; the attorney is sworn to defend their client from the charges.
When someone accused of a crime tells their attorney the whole story, as it truly happened, the attorney can build a better case. The language of the law often depends on things like intent and knowledge. If an attorney can demonstrate that a client didn’t know they were doing wrong or that they didn’t intend to break the law, they build a solid foundation for a defense case.
Rare Exceptions
There are some exceptions to attorney-client privilege. An attorney has the right to report crimes that haven’t happened yet. For example, if someone called an attorney and asked for advice on committing insurance fraud, the attorney might inform the authorities.
Similarly, some states require that an attorney act when a client shows an intention to commit future violent crimes. For example, if a client accused of murder voiced an intention and plan to harm others upon securing their freedom, some states would require that the attorney report such conduct to the authorities.
However, these are extremely circumstantial examples. Overall, telling an attorney exactly what happened, down to every detail, equips them with the facts they need to put up the best possible defense.
If you were charged with a crime, you might want to seek legal representation. If you’d like an experienced Bryan criminal defense attorney from Rodriguez & Gimbert P.L.L.C. to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (979) 559-3599.