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There are very few things in the world worse than being falsely accused. And when you know that conviction carries a heavy penalty, it becomes even more of a nightmare. If you should find yourself in this position, you need to seek help. Your best bet will be to hire legal counsel to help you beat the false charge.
You Need to Know Your Legal Rights
The first thing you need to be aware of is that you have rights. Even if you are being falsely accused and arrested, you have not been convicted yet. This means that you are allowed to do certain things in order to protect yourself. No one can deny you these rights without seriously compromising their case against you.
Right to Legal Counsel
The first right that you have is the right to legal counsel. This is the person who you can hire to represent your case in court. The goal will be to prove as quickly as possible that the case against you is false. Your lawyer is the one who has the best chance of assembling the evidence to throw out your arrest.
Right to Remain Silent
You also should be aware of your right to remain silent. As soon as you are accused or arrested, you need to clam up. You do not have to make any kind of statement to anyone. In fact, you should also be aware that anything you do say can and will be used against you. So keep quiet and let your lawyer do the talking.
Right Against Search and Seizure
Another right that is yours by law is the right to refuse any kind of search of your home, property, or person without a warrant. You do not have to consent to any searches by an officer or any other person. This is a right that can save you a great deal of trouble, financial as well as legal, in the long run.
Ask to Speak to Your Attorney Immediately
The very first thing that you should do when you are arrested or informed that you are under suspicion is to ask to speak to your attorney. If you don’t have an attorney, you should wait to answer anything until one is appointed for you. Never, ever consent to “answer a few questions” without your lawyer present.
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To reiterate, anything and everything that you say can and will be used against you. If the police are looking to convict you, they don’t need to tell you the truth. This means that you can easily lay the basis for your own conviction by answering seemingly innocent questions without a lawyer’s advice.
This doesn’t mean that you should resist arrest. If they desire to arrest you, there isn’t much you can do about it. But you don’t have to speak a word from this moment until the moment that you see your lawyer. This is the only person you should be saying anything to because they are the only ones on your side.
The time for you to contact your attorney or ask for one to be appointed for you is as soon as you are informed that you are suspected of a crime. Don’t wait to be arrested. Instead, you need to begin working toward clearing your name of the false accusation made against you.
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