If you have been charged with a crime and are seeking assistance from a criminal defense attorney, you are more than likely wondering whether or not you should admit your guilt to your attorney. This is a scary predicament to be in. If you have retained an attorney and you are wondering if you should tell them you are guilty, read this article for information on whether or not it's a good idea.

Listen to your attorney

Admitting Guilt—When you meet with your attorney, you want to listen to their questions closely and answer them truthfully. However, you don't want to go into more detail than they prompt you to. Most criminal defense attorneys will want to know absolutely everything about your case. This way, they will be aware of exactly what happened and can look for the best angle to defend you, and there won't be any surprises to come up that may jeopardize your case.

Not Admitting Guilt—That being said, some attorneys would rather not have solid knowledge of your guilt. This way, they can have more freedoms with regard to how they handle your case. If your attorney feels this way, they will tell you that they only want to know what the prosecution knows. If this is the case, you want to answer their questions without blurting out the fact that you are guilty. This would put the attorney in the exact position they didn't want to be in for their plan to best defend you.

Understand the legal process

You may wonder how your attorney can get you off on charges they know you are guilty of. The legal system requires that you be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the prosecutor needs to prove that you committed the crime and there is no way you didn't do it. If there is the smallest chance of your innocence, you cannot be convicted.

Your attorney's job is to provide the court with that doubt. They can use an array of legal strategies to put holes and doubt in the prosecutor's case. When they do this, it increases your chance of being pronounced innocent. This is why you want to give your attorney the exact information they ask you for, not less and not more. Your attorney will make sure they have all the information they need before the trial. However, if you do remember anything new, call your attorney and see if they want that information as well.

If you have been arrested for a crime, you should consider retaining an attorney, such as one from Spaulding & Kitzler, LLC,  before you talk to anyone. Remember, anything you say can be used against you. An attorney will protect your rights and keep you from saying something that may ruin your case.

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