When I take a new case, almost all the information I get comes from my client. Unbiased witnesses are much less common in real life than in the movies. That’s why it’s so important my clients tell me the truth. I shape my theory of the case, discovery, and even trial work around what my client has said. If I don’t have all the facts, I’m cooking a recipe without all the ingredients.

Clients withhold facts for various reasons. Sometimes out of embarrassment, sometimes because they think the truth will weaken their case. As a general rule, if you’re worried about your Montana accident attorney judging you, you may have the wrong lawyer (but that’s a post for a different day).

The second reason is the most frustrating, because the truth is that almost nothing hurts a case as much as when I don’t know all the facts. It’s possible to weave facts, even bad facts, into a compelling story and create an even stronger case. But one thing I can’t do is defend against problems I don’t know exist. So please, always be honest with your attorney and tell the whole truth. I won’t think less of you. I probably won’t even be surprised. But I will be able to better represent you.