Deciding what documents to bring to a criminal consultation can be an overwhelming task. The most straightforward approach is to bring as much evidence as possible. Unfortunately, however, most defendants will not have access to the State’s file at the time of the first consultation. Unfortunately, this can limit defendants from bringing all that they want to provide at the beginning of the criminal process. Since every case is unique, there is no definitive list of materials for a person to bring to a consultation. We at Horne and Griffis will extend every effort to help our clients through the difficulties of criminal prosecution. That is why we have compiled this helpful list to guide you through compiling the basic evidence of your case.
Documents to bring to a criminal defense consultation
There are still many documents that you can bring to a first consultation that can make a realistic evaluation much easier:
- Bonding Paperwork – please bring any and all paperwork that you received when you bonded out, whether from a bonding company or the person who bonded you out;
- Court Date Paperwork – if you have any paperwork with a court date on it, please bring this with you to the first consultation;
- Warrants – if you have a copy of your warrants upon your release from custody, this can be highly useful;
- Search Warrant – if you, your vehicle, or your home were searched as the result of law enforcement’s procurement of a search warrant, a copy should have been left with you, the vehicle, or at the home. Please bring a copy of the entire document;
- Incident/Police Report – if you were given a copy of the incident/police report for the offense you are accused of this is the best place to start;
- Names of Potential Witnesses – any person that may have first-hand knowledge about the situation for which you are accused may be a potential witness should the case go to trial. This information is useful to have early on in a representation.
Possibly even more important than all of the above, bring yourself, as quickly as possible following your arrest.
Why is this important?
Acquiring representation early on has many benefits. For example, your ability to recall events is much better before a large amount of time has passed. Scheduling a consultation shortly after an arrest may allow you to recall details more vividly than after time has passed. Another reason to employ an attorney as soon as possible is to protect your rights. The early stages of prosecution are important, and defendants often need more legal guidance than they think. Competent legal aid is necessary to vigorously safeguard your rights throughout the entire criminal process.
For more information, please schedule a consultation at 770-253-3282 with one of our experts in criminal law. Your rights are our priority.