If you’ve been charged with a crime, you need to know the punishment for your crime. You need to know whether you can get the charge dropped, get your record sealed, or get the charge changed to something less serious. The first thing to do is to get in touch with a lawyer, who can tell you what your rights are and help you decide whether to plead guilty or not guilty to the charge. Here are more tips.
Rule your right to remain silent
Many people choose to talk a lot when they are being questioned. The right to remain silent is a right that has been guaranteed by our constitution.
If you are ever charged with a crime, the first thing you need to do is remain silent. Rule your right to remain silent . . . but what does that mean? What exactly do you need to remain silent about? If you’re charged with a crime, you’re going to be sitting in a jail cell or holding area while they decide what to do with you. You will not be talking to the officers or anyone else. You might be sitting next to someone who tells you that you should tell the officers what happened and that you don’t want to get them in trouble. You do not want to listen to that advice. It would help if you remained silent. But, you might be thinking, how can I prove my innocence if I don’t tell the officers what happened? All you need to do is wait until you are given a lawyer. The lawyer is your voice.
Inquire about your charges
Since being charged with a crime is so traumatic, you feel like you’re going to be stuck with that charge for life. But one of the first things you should do as soon as you have a lawyer is inquire about your charges. Asking about your possible charges of the crime you are charged with will not harm you at all. In fact, it’s your right to know. If a charge seems to be too excessive, you can always ask the prosecutor to reduce it to a less serious charge. This is often a straightforward way to get rid of a charge, but the prosecutor isn’t likely to offer it without you asking.
Take evidence and notes
Facing criminal charges is a very confusing and frightening thing. Your first instinct may be to panic but don’t. Having a clear mind is the most important thing you can have. For the first few weeks or months, it’s incredibly important to keep evidence and notes about everything that happens to you. You need to make sure that you know exactly what caused the charge, who was involved in the case, and who you need to talk to about the situation. Make sure that you can write down what is happening, and make sure that you have a list of all of the people involved in the case. It’s not a bad idea to keep track of all of the dates and times of when things happened and keep a record of any conversations you have with the police or your attorney. If you are charged with a crime, you need to take notes on everything that happens, including these;
- Write down the names of the officers, the names of the people who are there, and what they wear.
- Write down the location, the time, and the weather conditions.
- Take pictures of everything that happened.
- Take pictures of your injuries, if there are any.
- Write down the names and badge numbers of the officers and any other information you can get from them. Do not trust your memory.
Get the assistance of your lawyer as soon as possible
If you are charged with a crime, it is crucial that you get the assistance of a good criminal lawyer in Portland Maine, as quickly as possible. A criminal defense lawyer may review the evidence in your case, interview witnesses, and review previous statements, and you can use this time to prepare a defense. The more time that you have to prepare your defense, the better.
Don’t discuss the incident with anybody
The police might be recording everything you say when you are the one being arrested. Even if the police aren’t recording you, you might be recorded by the camera mounted on the police car. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law, so you need to be careful about what you are saying. It’s best just not to say anything to the police officers, any parties involved, or even talk to loved ones while on police premises.
