When you first meet with your Colorado criminal defense attorney, you may feel frustrated, confused, or overwhelmed. You may not know which questions to ask, or you may have so many questions you don’t know where to start.
All these feelings are normal. To prepare for your first meeting with your criminal defense lawyer, consider the following tips:
Think of the meeting as the start of your defense. Throughout the process, you and your attorney will work together to protect your legal rights to the fullest extent possible, and to fight for the best possible outcome in your case. Think of this partnership’s “start date” as the day of your meeting with your attorney. To represent you in the best possible way, your attorney will need plenty of information about you and about what happened when you were arrested.
Be prepared to answer questions. Your lawyer will likely have many questions about you and your case, such as:
- Your name, contact information, education, and job background, along with a previous criminal record if you have one,
- What happened in the moments leading up to your arrest? What did you see or hear? What did you do, or avoid doing?
- What did you say? Who were you speaking to?
- Was anyone else involved? What did they say or do?
- Where were you when you were arrested? How did the arresting officers approach you? What did the officer or officers say or do?
Bring your own questions. Although your lawyer will ask many questions, the first meeting is actually a conversation. This means your questions matter as well. Write down your questions and bring them with you, or email them to your attorney in advance if possible.
Organize your documents and evidence, if any. If you have documents relating to your arrest, bail, search paperwork, or witness information, bring it to your meeting. Also, if you have any evidence like videotapes, phone messages, or photographs, bring those as well. If you don’t have a piece of evidence but believe it exists, write down where you believe it is and what you think it contains.