Be prepared: don't overlook anything in your criminal defense.

When we talk with our criminal defense clients, almost to the person we hear their worry that some fact or argument will be missed from their defense.

Over the years, we have refined various spreadsheets and check lists we use to prepare a criminal defense case. The great part about these tools is that they also let the client have input in the facts and arguments.

Giving clients that bit of comfort eliminates some of that worry. By eliminating the worry, clients can make better decisions as the case progresses. And they can sleep a bit better at night.

Imagine this investigation. See how easy it leads to an indictment.

Imagine for a moment that you are accused of something you did not do. Unfortunately, the investigator's mind is made up. Play it through your imagination, including what happens behind the scenes:

• You can see the investigator meeting with the prosecutor.
• They explain their conclusion that you committed a crime, and why they reached that conclusion.
• They explain the evidence they recovered that supports their conclusion.
• They explain how they have interpreted the evidence, and why they elected to ignore other evidence or potential evidence.

Often the prosecutor does not know any more than what the investigator presents. Just think about it – if the investigator or police officer does not have the information from your lawyer, how can the prosecutor know the entire story. If the prosecutor does not know the entire story, how can a Grand Jury know the entire story when it decides on whether it should indict you.

What is missing from that prosecution conversation? You.

Cases can very quickly become about what investigators believe they are about. If you are not involved in that conversation from the outset, the case can only be about what the investigator concludes it is about. You and defense evidence is entirely missing from the conversation.

This is a critical error.

It is so much more difficult to change the investigator's and the prosecutor's minds, than it is to give them a more complete understanding of the facts before their minds are settled. Candidly, prosecutors often also knowing the complete picture early on as well. But, sorry to say, it is not something you can do on your own though. You need a criminal defense lawyer.

Use the tools we use.

Now, we do not take every criminal defense case. And not every potential client finds us to be the perfect fit. But, you can have for free our Master Defense Timeline. It is in Microsoft Word so you can adjust it for your case. It should help you and your lawyer put "you" back into the conversation.