As someone who has run afoul of the law, something that you should know is that you can, and should, start building your defense case as soon as you can. While you may not think that you need a defense when you’re only under investigation or when the charges seem nonsensical, the reality is that you could quickly find yourself facing charges and all the penalties that come with them.
Whether this is your first offense or you’ve been convicted in the past, the best bet is for you to reach out to your attorney as soon as you know that you’re being investigated. If you’ve been arrested, ask to call your attorney, so you can protect yourself and prevent yourself from saying or doing anything that could hurt your case.
Criminal charges are serious business
Criminal charges are serious and should not be brushed off. It’s important that you do know what the charges are that you’re facing and what penalties could result. For example, if you’re charged with drug trafficking, do you know how much time you could spend in prison? Are you aware of the potential fines you could face or the impact a conviction could have on your life or career? If not, then it’s time to get in touch with your attorney to talk about those items.
Another good reason to have your attorney work with you early on in your case is to help minimize the risk of the charges growing in scope. You may find that a simple possession charge is now looking like it will become one for trafficking or selling drugs, even though that wasn’t your intention. Your attorney can help you protect yourself against this creep into deeper, more serious charges in many cases.
You have a right to defend yourself
You have the right to defend yourself and should take advantage of your opportunity to work with an attorney on your case. Taking the right action now could help you prevent a negative outcome or to minimize the penalties you face, so you can get back to living your life freely sooner.