Technically speaking, you do not have to have your legal team with you when you talk to police officers. However, you do have a legal right to request that your lawyer be present before you answer any questions. People will often do this after they get arrested and taken to the police station, saying that they would rather wait for their lawyer than talk to the police at that moment.
If you’re trying to decide what to do after an arrest or planning for your future, it’s important to consider why you may want to wait for your legal team. Here are some important reasons.
The police don’t have to be honest with you
First off, remember that the police can lie about evidence that they have or any other factors of the case. They do not have to be honest. They will often try to manipulate you, so having a legal representative can help.
You don’t want to incriminate yourself
People will sometimes try to talk their way out of an arrest by explaining what happened. But doing this could lead to you accidentally incriminating yourself by saying something that sounds like an admission of guilt. Since this can have such a big impact on your future case, you may want to run these things by a legal team first.
It can be a confusing process
Even the simplest arrest can get very confusing very quickly. You always need to make sure that you know what rights you have, what the police are obligated to do and how police officers often make mistakes or violate the rights of suspects. This whole process is especially confusing if this is the first time you’ve been arrested and you’ve never been through it before.
Overall, if you face arrest, it is important that you fully understand your legal options and the steps that you’ll need to take.