Most of the biggest mistakes made by criminal defendants occur before they ever go to court.
1. Never Give Too Much Information
If you have been taken by the police, the most important thing you should remember is to never tell the police anything except your name, your address and that you will not say anything else until you have spoken to your attorney.
2. Do Not Sign Anything
The second most important thing to remember is to never sign anything while you are in police custody. Citizens have many constitutional rights. Those rights were put in place to protect citizens, which is why it is so important to never talk to the police until you have spoken to an attorney. The police do not like to waste time. If they are wasting their time trying to get a statement out of you, it is very likely that the police do not have enough evidence to make a case stick to you.
That is why they are trying to build their case by getting you to talk.
3. Do Not Talk About the Case on the Jail Phone
You should also never talk about your case on the phone if you are in jail. Many jails and prisons record inmate phone conversations. You should also never talk about your case with other inmates in jail. You never know who you are really talking to.
4. Do Not Trust the Advice of Other Inmates
A huge mistake that a lot of people make is listening to the advice of other inmates. There are a lot of jailhouse lawyers who like to tell other people what they should do regarding their case. They might sound like they know what they are talking about, but a little bit of knowledge can do a lot of damage. If you are facing criminal charges you need to get the help from someone who knows the law inside and out.
If you have been arrested, do yourself a favor and call an attorney.