More advice about avoiding mistakes
Yesterday, criminal defense lawyer Gary Gerson decided to put out the first of two blog about what not to do when you’re arrested. Over the last twenty-four hours or so we have received several phone calls to our criminal defense firm hotline from people who have found themselves in even deeper trouble because they broke one of these rules. Today, we’re going to finish our list of mistakes to avoid if and when you are arrested. To quickly sum up our first five mistakes to never make: please remember to never skip a court date, don’t move without telling the appropriate people, don’t change your house or mobile phone number without telling your attorney, don’t talk about your pending case on social media, and refrain from talking about your case from a jail phone even if you are speaking to your lawyer. Our sixth tip: avoid getting arrested for another crime while your case is pending. This shows a blatant disregard for respect of the criminal justice system and your chances of receiving jail time are very likely to increase. Seventh, don’t forget to pay your lawyer. Attorneys like Gary Gerson take your case very serious, so it is important to show them that you are also serious about proving your innocence by paying your fees in full and in a timely manner. Eighth, don’t drink, do drugs, or fail a drug test. If you are out on bail or under house arrest and you fail a drug test (they also test for alcohol), you will almost definitely end up behind bars. Proving to the court that you can refrain from drinking and taking drugs while awaiting trial can go a long way in helping you reduce your sentence and keeping you out of jail. Next, don’t ever lie to your lawyer. You can choose to fudge the truth to family members and friends, and you do not have to talk to police, but it is very important that you never lie to your lawyer. Attorneys like Gary Gerson are here to help you, so it is important that you treat them with the utmost respect and never withhold the truth. Remember, everything you tell an attorney is confidential, so even if you’re scared to divulge what you know or what you’ve done, the truth will help your lawyer build his or her case and it could keep you out of jail. Finally, don’t talk to police. There may be no more incriminating act than saying the wrong thing to a police officer. Cops are trained to get you to admit what you’ve done in roundabout ways. They may even tell you something is "off the record." Remember, nothing you say is ever off the record with a police officer and, no matter how nice they are to you, they’re always fishing for information to use against you. Your right to remain silent is real thing; we encourage you to use it and to call Attorney Gary Gerson if you’re ever in a situation such as we’ve discussed. If you have any questions about what you read yesterday, or what you have read today, please call The Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson at 412-219-6875.
