It’s important for a client to feel comfortable openly communicating with his attorney. However, some people fear that what they say to their attorney will eventually wind up in court. But, thanks to the attorney-client privilege, there’s no reason to worry about your private conversations being used against you.
The attorney-client privilege is a legal privilege that was established to ensure communications between an attorney and client were kept private. This means an attorney cannot be forced to discuss the conversations he has had with his client even if he is subpoenaed or asked to testify under oath. An attorney-client privilege is the client’s legal privilege, which means it is up to the client to determine whether or not he would like to disclose the information he shared with his attorney.
Every type of communication between the attorney and client is protected by this legal privilege, including calls, texts, letters, emails, faxes, notes, and in-person conversations.
The protection begins as soon as the attorney-client relationship is formed. However, it’s important to note that this privilege continues even after the working relationship between the attorney and client is over. For example, if the attorney and client no longer work together because the client’s case was resolved, the attorney-client privilege still protects all of the conversations that occurred during the case.
Communications Not Covered By the Attorney-Client Privilege
There are several exceptions to this legal privilege that give attorneys the right to share private conversations they’ve had with their clients. First, the attorney is not restricted by the attorney-client privilege if he has reason to believe that the client is planning on committing a crime. In this case, the attorney can share this private conversation with the appropriate authorities in order to prevent the crime.
Attorneys can also reveal information that can be used to prevent injuries or fatalities. For example, if a client reveals that he is planning on injuring the person who is accusing him of a crime, the attorney can alert the authorities to protect this person.
Finally, there is also the “crime-fraud” exception. This exception only applies when the client communicates to the lawyer that he is using the lawyer’s services to commit or cover up a crime or fraud.
There’s nothing more important than communicating openly and honestly with your attorney. The criminal defense attorneys at Reisch Law Firm go above and beyond to make clients feel comfortable confiding in us so we can provide the best representation possible. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
