How to be a Good Client during your Ottawa Criminal Defence Case

If you have been charged with a criminal offence and have retained the help of an Ottawa criminal defence lawyer, the next thing you should be aware of is how you can be a good client.  This will help you and your lawyer get the best possible outcome in your case. Being a good client may seem obvious or even unimportant, but it can make all the difference in your lawyer’s ability to properly defend you.

First and foremost, it is important that you are completely honest with your lawyer from the beginning and remain honest throughout your defence.  If you withhold information or provide your lawyer with false information, you will not receive the best defence.  Your relationship with your criminal defence lawyer must be based on honesty.  Trust your lawyer and he or she will do all that is possible to help you with your case.

Also, keep in mind that your lawyer has other clients and responsibilities in addition to your case.  While providing you with a good defence is a priority for your lawyer, it is important that you follow your lawyer’s communication policy. At our firm, we prefer to speak with clients during pre-arranged telephone calls or meetings.  This allows us to focus on the case we are working on without interruption. When your lawyer is preparing for your case, you wouldn’t want him or her to be constantly interrupted with unscheduled phone calls from other clients. Remember this fact before you inundate your lawyer with phone calls every day.

Discussing and planning your case during scheduled phone calls or meetings is much more productive than starting and stopping quick phone calls or answering e-mails throughout the day.  Scheduled communication allows your lawyer to work efficiently and provide you with the best service possible.  If you have a question for your lawyer, you can call their office and speak with a staff member that will likely be able to answer you.  If for some reason they are not able to, they can schedule an appointment for you to meet or speak with your lawyer directly.

Remember that your relationship with your lawyer is reciprocal.  Your lawyer can only provide you with a good defence if you cooperate with the legal process and are forthcoming with information.  In order to receive the best defence and increase your chances of receiving a favourable outcome, trust your lawyer and do all that you can to be a good client.