What Do You Need to Bring to Your Criminal Defense Attorney’s Office?

Being charged with a crime is stressful enough without worrying about what you need to bring to your criminal defense attorney’s office. The Drias Law Group offers you this list of suggested items to make your consultation smoother and more effective for you and your attorney.

Pack All Official Documents and Your ID

The moment you are charged with a crime in Michigan, the legal documents start piling up. The documents you have available to you will depend on where you are in the criminal process.

Our lawyers suggest that you bring anything that has a court date on it, as well as the following documents:

• Bail notice
• Police officer’s arrest report
• Summons to appear in court
• Any personal protection order filed against you, if applicable
• Impound receipt if police took your vehicle
• Any official court document, such as an indictment or affidavit
• A photo ID

You can bring your documents in a backpack, tote bag, briefcase, or anything else that is secure. You don’t want to risk a flimsy bag that could open and allow you to lose important papers.

Bring a List of Potential Witnesses

Your lawyer will want reliable witnesses for your case. These witnesses will give statements and speak in court.

In criminal defense law, witnesses play many vital roles:

• For example, eyewitnesses to the crime can dispute your involvement by identifying the culprit; they can also cast doubt on prosecution witnesses who claim that they saw you.
• Defense witnesses provide details about your character, the events in question, or the motivations of your accuser.
• Witnesses can support your alibi that you were elsewhere when the crime occurred.
• Subject matter experts can testify on your behalf and refute opposing counsel’s experts.

Anyone who might be a witness for your case is worth considering. Your lawyer will then ask you for more details about each possible witness to help narrow down the list.

Include Evidence of an Alibi

Do you have photos, movie tickets, receipts, or closed circuit videos that place you elsewhere when the crime occurred?

All these things — and many more, such as text messages and cell phone records — could be important evidence for your lawyer to review. Of course, your attorney will gather much more evidence after the first meeting, but anything you can bring will provide an excellent head-start.

Tell Your Side of the Story

You know what happened. Now write it down. Your lawyer will want to have a written record of your side of the story so they can look for more witnesses and evidence.

We recommend that you write down your side of the story to bring with you for your first meeting. You will forget important details that could be helpful for your defense.

Questions for Your Attorney

It’s a good idea to write down several questions to make the most of your first meeting. Here are a few to get you started:

• Do you have experience with the type of charge I am facing?
• Have you won cases like mine in the past? Can you give examples?
• How long do you think my case will take?
• Do you see any major issues with my case so far?
• How do you charge for your services?

Schedule a Consultation with the Drias Law Group

Bringing the right documents and information to your lawyer’s office can make your first meeting more positive and productive. The Drias Law Group is committed to delivering customized criminal defense for the best possible outcome. Get a free consultation with Drias Law Group.

Call (313) 944-0236 or contact us online today.