Have you ever wondered what you would do in the event that you were stopped by the police, or worst-case scenario, arrested, brought in for questioning and needed a criminal lawyer? Sometimes it could be a case of mistaken identity and other times perhaps there is a warrant for your arrest, or they witnessed something which they interpreted to be in violation of one or more laws.
For whatever reason, unlike a Toronto criminal lawyer, the average person simply doesn’t know what to do if they were detained or arrested in Toronto – or anywhere in Canada for that matter! Here are some tips on how to handle a police interrogation when you are detained and/or arrested and require the legal aid of criminal lawyer. Whether or not you feel you are guilty, you should follow the same advice that a Toronto criminal law firm would give you throughout.
Silence Is Golden
Although it may sound a bit cliché, or like the title of an old Tremeloes tune, truer words were never spoken than when being detained by the police. While you may want to tell them who you are, where you live etc. you really don’t even have to do that, believe it or not and should speak to a qualified criminal lawyer first!
Legally, you don’t have to utter a word if you don’t want to, other than to request them to let you call the best criminal lawyer Toronto has available. It’s true! They can’t force you to say anything. Remember this because even totally innocent people may be erroneously detained, and often are.
The One Great Exception to the Rule
However, as with everything else in life, there are going to be exceptions to the rule and a good Toronto criminal attorney will know all of them. In this case, that exception is in terms of motor vehicle accidents. Most often the law requires you to give your statement to the police as opposed to a criminal lawyer at the scene in what is referred to as the accident report.
What you might like to know is that this report cannot be used to incriminate you as ‘evidence’ should you be accused of a criminal offense such as speeding, driving under the influence or even texting while driving (distracted driving). Always say as little as possible and stick to the facts as closely as you can. If you feel you may have done something illegal or may be accused of a violation, it is best to leave that to your lawyer. With that said, just make sure you don’t skew the facts. Any false statements are illegal and that can be used against you!
When in Doubt – Don’t
Yes, here is another cliché, but again, one that could save you from serious consequences. It can’t be said enough that you should offer as little as possible. Some people get so nervous that they start rattling off seemingly innocuous things that are later used against them. For example, you don’t need to say that you stopped after work for a cocktail with your colleagues. They will immediately believe that you were driving under the influence and either order a Breathalyzer if still on the scene or make a marked reference to it in their report. If you don’t feel like you need to tell them who you are or where you were going, don’t – unless, of course, you are involved in that accident mentioned above. The key takeaway in all this is that if you are ever in doubt as to what to say, the solution is simple. Don’t say anything at all except to ask for a lawyer.
