Nobody wants to find themselves on the right side of a legal battle, let alone the wrong side. However, a culture of frivolous litigation and a lack of communication can mean that you end up in legal trouble without even anticipating. There are steps you can take to make the experience as painless as possible, and it starts with being prepared from the word “go.” Here’s what you need to know.
Finding the Right Attorney
The first step to winning any legal battle is to employ a qualified attorney that knows how to handle a case like yours. This can start with a simple Google search for DUI lawyers Seattle in order to get a lay of the land. It’s important to understand that you’ll need to look for lawyers in your area with the right specification for the case at hand, but you’ll also need to vet all of the potential candidates in order to ensure that the attorney in question is a qualified professional. For this, you’ll want to look not only at a 1 to 5 star rating, but also client testimonials.
Look for negative statements in particular to get an idea of the worst case scenario for a given attorney. If that meets your standards, it’s a good indication that that’s the lawyer for you. That is, of course, assuming that the reviews are still mostly positive. While that may sound counterintuitive, it’s easier to walk that line that you might think. Never trust overly positive reviews without some pretty substantial evidence.
Work With Your Lawyer, Not Against Them
When you’re in legal hot water, it’s all too easy to develop trust issues, even with your attorney. However, this can work against your own interests in a major way. Generally speaking, your lawyer needs to know the case inside and out, even or especially when there’s evidence on the table that might not shake out in your favor. Knowing that kind of information and that the opposition might use it are essential for building a successful counter argument that might be necessary later.
If you’re guilty of a crime, you may be all the more hesitant to let your lawyer in, but even then, a lawyer who knows the truth can prepare for the worst and try to at least get you the best deal possible in the event of a guilty verdict. However, if you need more info on what to share and what no to share, you’ll need to look into attorney-client privilege. While it’s usually the best way to come out on top, you’re not always protected.
Work For Your Lawyer
Building a competent court case is mostly up to your attorney who knows the ins and outs of the law surrounding your case and fighting a legal battle. However, your lawyer can’t build that case without a substantial effort on your part. First and foremost, you’ll be held responsible for producing the available evidence on your side of the case and, as mentioned above, evidence that refutes your opponent’s arguments against you. Your attorney can’t possibly know what evidence exists, let alone what’s also pertinent to the case.
Dig deep into any written or recorded evidence. This evidence can be your smoking gun and you should hand it over as soon as possible. In addition to this, your lawyer will want to be able to contact you reliably in order to talk about the case as it evolves. You need to make yourself available. Don’t be afraid to receive and respond to voicemails or texts, because it’s essential that you’re both on the same page during each leg of the trial, including the pre-trial.
Matters of the law are always stressful, and it’s correct to approach the situation from a perspective of caution. However, knowing the basics of how to find and work with an attorney will take care of a lot of the fear pretty handily. These tips will help you start your case on the right foot.
