Imagine being pulled over for a traffic offense. Maybe it’s drunk driving or texting behind the wheel. Perhaps you hit someone, and you’re now being questioned.
In your haste to clear up the situation, you might have apologized or taken on responsibility that wasn’t really yours. For example, if you apologize for causing a crash and admit that you had a drink before getting in your car, you could face DUI charges.
In situations like that, there are times when you can take back your admission of guilt. It can be tough to do, but your attorney will look for ways to get the admission excluded from a trial or hearing. They will look for administrative issues with how the case was handled and try to find out if you knew you were, or intended to, admit to a crime.
What should you do to avoid being misunderstood?
Sometimes, admissions of guilt are based on misunderstandings. That’s one reason why it’s smart not to say or do anything at the scene that could signify guilt. Don’t apologize. Don’t admit that you were wrong. You should talk to your attorney before you take any steps to try to clear up what happened.
Before you talk to the police, you may want to talk to your attorney and listen to what they have to say. They will be there to help you protect yourself. If you’ve already admitted that an incident was your fault, they may still be able to assist you and help you take back that admission to protect your best interests. It may be possible to reduce the influence of what you’ve already said.