October 15, 2013
After another session in Maryland criminal court, I thought that the time one spends with
their attorney is an important subject.
How many times have you told a friend a story but forgot to leave out an important detail?
Leaving out an important detail could lead to drastic consequences. If you have ever been charged with a crime you might have serious issues with the police report. Quite often, the police report only tells half of a story.
The busiest of all criminal law practices is the Maryland Office of the Public Defender.
Due to the economic collapse, the Office of the MD PD is busier than ever. Although the PD office employs some of the brightest and most experienced criminal lawyers, they are also the busiest. It's not uncommon for a client to first meet their public defender on their trial date. When this happens, important information could be forgotten or not adequately investigated.
On the bright side, the prosecutors are often in the same boat as the public defenders. If the prosecutors are lucky they may have videotapes, lab results or DNA evidence.
More often, they have an arresting officer and some witnesses who may even be of questionable character.
Therefore, its very important to understand your case before any plea discussions are
discussed with the State. Perhaps, the State doesn't even know the weakness of their case. The more holes punched in the States ship, the more likely it will sink.
I have found that the more time I spend with my clients the better I can defend their rights. I had a confession thrown out of Court, only because I had the time to ask my probing questions. My clients are not lawyers. It would be foolish of me to expect my clients to know when some of their rights have been violated.
To insure that your lawyer receives all the important information pertaining to your case, I
recommend the following:
1. Write down your own version of events in relation to your case.
Make sure you include people's names, possible addresses and what they said or did.
2. Schedule and keep your appointment with your lawyer, at least 35 days before your trial date. MD rules require the opposing side to have a list of potential witnesses 30 days before trial. Failure to comply could forfeit those witnesses.
3. Keep a notebook handy. An issue about your case might pop into your head.
4. Communicate with your lawyer periodically before trial. If there is something
you need to discuss, then call your lawyer. Make sure to ask questions. Questions often lead to other issues about your case that may have never been discussed.
Howard A. Brucker is a Maryland attorney located in Havre De Grace, Maryland. A former law clerk with the Cecil County State’s Attorney and the Delaware Department of Justice, Howard represents clients in all of Maryland Courts, including Harford, Cecil, Kent and Baltimore Counties. Howard offers free criminal consultations and accepts credit cards and payment plans.
