Can Criminal Defense Attorneys Contact Victims?

Posted On: February 7th, 2018 by Bradley J. Groene
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Criminal charges can be chaotic for you and everyone involved, and you may be uncertain how to move forward and get your life back on track after being accused of an offense. Hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney will allow your case to be handled by a team that has helped many others who have been in your situation. A skilled attorney will do everything within the scope of the law to bring a successful outcome to your case. This may include speaking with the alleged victim in order to find an acceptable way for all parties to easily resolve legal proceedings. Speaking with a victim may not always make things better for your case. As criminal defense attorneys with years of experience, Luftman, Heck & Associates understands when doing so can help or hurt your defense.

Contact us today to speak with an experienced defense attorney about your case. Call us at (513) 338-1890.

Who Should and Should Not Contact Victims?

If you have been arrested and are awaiting a hearing or trial, the alleged victim of your offense is a witness in your case, and the evidence they provide may be impactful in determining the outcome. While the police or prosecutor may inform this person that they do not have to speak with anyone if they do not want to, your lawyer has the right to contact them and ask if they’d be willing to discuss what’s going on. You should avoid this person if at all possible since:

  • The person claiming to be your victim might be threatened by contact from you, even if you are polite.
  • Your lawyer will know the most relevant questions that can provide helpful information for your defense.

Your Criminal Defense Attorney Can Strengthen Your Case by Contacting the Victim

As your case moves forward, your lawyer will work to build the best defense possible, but it is important to see if there are any factors that will resolve your case before it goes to trial. As criminal defense lawyers, we would like to resolve our clients’ cases successfully and quickly, so we can help you and your family to move on with your lives. Each case is different, but it’s possible that your alleged victim would like to drop the charges. Sometimes this can be done if a lawyer has a productive meeting with them.

If your charges are not dropped before a court hearing or before going to trial, your defense team may find an interview with the victim to be very helpful. The benefits of these meetings include:

  • Learning how the witness tells their story in person, therefore being prepared for their possible testimony in court
  • Gaining a better idea of their credibility, or how others will perceive their honesty
  • The witness must stick by any new details or statements they tell the defense attorney, or else they can be discredited while on the witness stand in court
  • Your lawyer could find out about possible new witnesses or sources of evidence from the alleged victim themselves

A Skilled Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help

Criminal prosecutions in Ohio are taken very seriously, and you can be looking at prison time, large fines, and a permanent record if convicted of an offense. Your best opportunity to protect your rights and freedom comes from having a skilled attorney working for you and contacting any relevant witnesses or alleged victims in your case. Do not attempt to contact the victim on your own without first speaking to your legal counsel, as an experienced lawyer will know how to best move forward with this task.

Contact attorney Bradley Groene of Luftman, Heck & Associates today at (513) 338-1890 to schedule a free, initial case consultation.