Discretion 101: Understanding Attorney-Client Privilege

Attorney-client privilege is something that everyone has heard about from the latest police dramas on TV and in the movies. It may sound cool, but there is real precedence for this privilege. It’s important to understand your rights. If you are looking for an accident attorney, contact our team at Katz Injury Law to learn how to protect yourself.

Attorney-client privilege is a genuine legal right. This allows you and your attorney to communicate confidentially while maintaining the privacy of the individual. For attorneys, this is considered to be the most sacred trust regarding communication with their clients.

The US Supreme Court backs up the importance of this privilege. They note that this opportunity to speak freely with a legal counsel without fear of information being leaked to other parties helps clients to be more candid and share all important information as it relates to the case. Without it, clients don’t feel comfortable divulging all the facts of a case for fear of negative outcomes.

That’s a straightforward explanation of attorney-client privilege, but why is it so important in legal matters? There are several reasons.

Freedom to Speak Openly

When clients have the freedom to speak openly about their cases, they are more relaxed because they know that they have protection. This makes people feel more at ease and ready to thoroughly discuss the details of their case. This also allows them to provide any insights they may have surrounding the issues. This ability to share openly and honestly is of benefit for both the attorney and the client.

Build a Better Case

Having the opportunity to have an honest and open conversation with their client, allows the attorney to build a better case. With deeper insights from the client, under the attorney-client privilege, they can better assess the case and its merits. When a client knows that the details of a conversation won’t leave the room, they are able to share deeper, more intimate details. This honesty and accuracy give the attorney the opportunity to plan for the best case they can. This also provides the attorney with the chance to build a strategy around questions that they know will be asked about evidence that might be considered incriminating in court.

Exemptions

There are times when the attorney-client privilege is not available. This is when the attorney is providing non-legal services to a client. Sometimes, this involves consultations on business matters. Confidentiality can be maintained, however, some information, especially information relayed by a third party may not be protected.

Finally, while the attorney-client relationship is very important if the client shares information with other people, that confidentiality privilege can be waived. The privilege of confidentiality is designed so that clients feel free to share pertinent information with their attorneys.

When you need a bicycle accident attorney serving Delaware County, PA, our team at Katz Injury Law is ready to help you. We’ll provide a free evaluation of your case and then get to work fighting for your rights. Contact us today!