If you've found yourself facing criminal charges, it is completely possible to make the situation much worse for yourself. Below, you'll find a short list of things to do, or avoid doing, to prevent things from getting any worse.

Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your case isn't serious enough to require legal guidance. Legal professionals can more easily identify elements of the case that could help lessen the charges or possibly have the charges dismissed entirely.

Social Media Silence

One of the worst things that you can do when facing criminal charges is to post on social media platforms. Whether you're ranting, weeping, or just making a statement about what happened, your words could end up being used against you in court.

Another thing to avoid doing on social media is deleting posts about the situation without talking to a lawyer first. It is possible that deleting posts, pictures and videos could be seen as destroying evidence. This could make things much more complicated and difficult to fight the initial charges.

Take Note of Witnesses

While the event is fresh in your memory, write down the names or descriptions of those people that may have witnessed exactly what happened. Even if you don't know the people personally, the description may assist the legal team in using surveillance videos to find and identify the individuals.

Note: It may be tempting to post on social media to ask for help identifying people, but don't do it without consulting your lawyer first. Allow the legal team to do their job.

Avoid the Complainant

The complainant should be avoided to the best of your ability. Whether the complaint is coming from an individual or business, it's best to steer clear to prevent any further complaints from being filed against you. Charges like trespassing, intimidation, witness tampering, and so many other issues could arise just because a conversation was had between you and an individual tied to the case.

Really, what you need to do right now is hire a criminal defense lawyer and stay out of trouble. Avoid individuals that could get you in more trouble and situations that could result in future problems. In the end, your charges may not be dismissed, but the consequences you face for doing the crime may be decreased. Don't wait until you stand before the magistrate – lawyer up now and talk only to him or her about your case.

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