Some people make their cases difficult to win long before they ever set eyes on their lawyer. It’s difficult to know what to do when you end up under arrest, especially if you’ve never had a brush with the criminal justice system before.

If you can remember a few key principles, you can make it easier for your lawyer to achieve the best possible outcome.

Stay Calm

Whatever you do, don’t lose your cool.

Tempted to yell and scream at the police? Stay polite instead. You don’t want video footage that makes you look belligerent surfacing in a courtroom.

Sadly, once the police decide to arrest you, there’s nothing you can say and nothing you can do to stop them. All you can do is move through the process while focusing on making it out the other side.

It’s natural to be angry if you know you’re innocent, but your anger won’t help you.

Whatever you do, avoid any actions which may be interpreted as a physical attack. This will only give the police grounds to use force against you while giving them the power to add “resisting arrest” to the list of charges you’ll be facing. Remember, law enforcement and prosecutors like to “stack” charges to ensure something sticks.

Don’t make it easier on them.

Stay Quiet

The best thing you can possibly do to strengthen your case is to avoid making the police’s job easier. When they say “anything you say can and will be used against you in a  court of law,” they mean it.

You can’t convince them you’re innocent. They’re not going to apologize for the mistake and let you go. They’re trained in techniques meant to trip you up, meant to get you to incriminate yourself even if you didn’t do anything.

Verbally invoke your Fifth Amendment rights the moment you are arrested. Ask for an attorney immediately to end any interview. When your attorney arrives you can tell your lawyer your entire story. Let your lawyer use these facts to your best advantage. 

Remain honest with your attorney.

Once you have an attorney it’s important to be honest. Answer any questions asked. 

Good criminal defense attorneys will not abandon you just because you tell them something incriminating. The attorney’s job is to represent you to the best of their  ability and fight for your rights, zealously advocating for you. That job exists irrespective of guilt or innocence. Do your best to make sure your attorney isn’t blindsided. Note that even innocuous issues can come back to create problems later if you lie to your attorney when  asked about them. 

Make sure your attorney is someone you trust to have your best interest at heart.

It is imperative when seeking out an attorney, that the attorney you hire to represent you understands your case, has experience in handling such matters, and has the expertise to maneuver through the justice system in a way that protects you.  

Not all attorneys are alike.  Be weary of those that make promises that seem too good to be true.  Trust your instincts and make sure you are on the same page in approaching your defense strategies.  

If you’re in trouble, contact the Law Offices of Julie Rendelman today to schedule a consultation. 

See also:

Can You Really Get My Criminal Case Dismissed?

What Are the Steps in a Criminal Trial?

Arraignment in New York: What to Expect