subject: What To Bring When Meeting A Criminal Attorney [print this page] If you have set up an opportunity to meet with a criminal attorney, you may be anxious to find out what he or she has to say about your situation. Perhaps you are facing criminal charges based on something you did not do. You may be dealing with accusations that could change your life for good. When you are dealing with situations like this, it is very important to turn to a lawyer who can help you to get through it. A consultation is the first step in finding such a legal professional. As you get ready for the appointment or meeting with this professional, be sure that you bring along everything you will need.
Bring Your Questions
One of the most important things to bring to a consultation with a criminal attorney is a list of questions to ask. You should have a list that outlines any concerns you may have. This may be about what is going to happen, what to expect from the process and what the risks are to you. You will want to make a list of these so you can be sure you do not forget any when the time comes to meet with the lawyer.
Court Documents and Records
From the summons to the other court records you have, bring it all with you. The lawyers will want to see all of the documentation related to your case because this will, ultimately, help you to avoid any potential misunderstandings in what is happening to you. You want the lawyer to be fully aware of what you are facing and why it happened.
What Happened
It is a good idea to bring along a summary of what happened to put you in this place. If you feel comfortable writing this down, do so. Otherwise, just be sure you know the details of what happened so that the lawyer can help you to determine what type of defense you should have going forward.
Bring Only Those You Trust
This will be a private meeting between you and the lawyer. If you want to bring a spouse or someone else along with you, you can do so. However, you do not want to bring anyone that you cannot talk freely in front of. The fact is that your attorney needs to learn everything about what happened, including the specific details of what occurred. You need o be open enough to state this information.
A criminal attorney is able to work for you when you provide enough information about what you are facing and what you need him or her to provide to you. The consultation is your time to gather information and to make a decision about whether or not this is the right decision for your needs.
