Attorney-client privilege is an important and crucial aspect to criminal law. If you have been accused of a crime, whether guilty or not, you are going to need to have an attorney represent you and work to maintain your innocence. It is your legal right to have this. As a part of your rights, anything you tell your attorney concerning the crime you are accused of doing, is protected.

You can tell him or her that you did commit the crime, and it cannot be disclosed to the court or jury. Take advantage of this and use it to your best interests:

No Surprises

When it comes to the trial, the more information your lawyer knows and has, the better. Keeping information about the crime from your lawyer only gives the prosecutor the chance to find evidence your lawyer could not know would exist. If you are lying to your attorney, there is bound to be something that will come up in court your attorney cannot explain away.

For example, you are claiming innocence, and told your lawyer you were with a friend when the crime was committed. The friend agrees to lie for you. However, the friend's spouse tells the court that is not true. Now, in a few minutes, your lawyer has to come up with a way to discredit the spouse's testimony.

Create the Proper Defense

When a criminal defense lawyer has all the facts, he or she can then determine the best course of action for maintaining your innocence or proving reasonable doubt. In some cases, this means the attorney will present the jury with a few different possible ways the crime could have been committed. As long as the scenarios are reasonable, the jury will have to acquit you.

Better Plea Bargain

Knowing you are guilty, your lawyer can work with the prosecutor, not admitting your guilt, to have a plea bargain arranged. Sometimes there is just too much evidence, and no way around it, to have you acquitted. However, if your lawyer works with the prosecutor before all the evidence comes to light, he or she can keep the sentence to an absolute minimum.

The attorney-client privilege is an important part of working with a defense attorney. It should be noted, however, the privilege only covers previous acts. If you go to your lawyer and tell him or her that you are planning to commit another crime, even if it is related to the first one, it is not protected.

In fact, as an officer of the court, your attorney must do everything possible to stop you, including calling the police. Tell your lawyer what you have done, but if you plan on doing anything further, keep it to yourself.

Contact a company such as Spaulding & Kitzler, LLC if you have other questions or need help with criminal defense.

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