Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in a Norfolk Criminal Case

In Norfolk, there are a number of mistakes to avoid when you are being charged with a crime. The following are four of the biggest mistakes to avoid and how they could end up hurting your case. To learn more call and schedule a consultation with a Norfolk criminal defense attorney today.

Mistake 1: Making Admissions Before Speaking With An Attorney

First do not make any statements or admissions without first speaking with your attorney. Police officers are always going to try to get information out of you however they can. They may promise you a better deal if you cooperate and talk to them however you should not fall for these tactics. Saying nothing is almost always the best decision for you and your case.

Mistake 2: Being Rude to Police

Along these same lines, another mistake is that people are rude or they get defensive when police officers try to ask them questions. In the end this will only hurt them when the judge asks the officer in court if the defendant was polite and cooperative. You don’t want to give them any ammunition for additional charges or for coming down harder on you. The best thing to do is be quiet and just let them do their job.

Mistake 3: Consenting to a Search

Another mistake is that you should not give consent for police to search you or your property without a warrant. A lot of times people don’t see it as a big deal because they feel that they don’t have anything to hide but it is illegal for the police to search you or your property without a warrant or probable cause and there is no reason to allow them to do so otherwise regardless of whether you have anything to hide or not.

Mistake 4: Waiting to Hire Legal Representation

Another common mistake is waiting to hire an attorney. You should hire an attorney as soon as possible. Attorneys are frequently contacted by people who are looking for a lawyer to help with a court date the same week or only one week away. Attorneys are busy and have many other cases.

You want your case to get the attention it deserves and if you wait too long your case will have to be continued to a later date in order for your attorney to be able to properly help you. Usually continuances aren’t difficult but if there are witnesses or a lot of other people who are involved then it can get complicated. It is better to get an attorney the second you know you are going to be charged with crime.  With that being said, if you have a court date coming up and you are worried it is too late to contact an attorney, you should still reach out to a lawyer for help.