A New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer Discusses Right to Counsel

In this article, a New Jersey criminal defense lawyer discusses your right to have your attorney present if you are required to submit to being placed in a lineup.

Pre-Trial Proceedings

It is your right, if you are placed in a lineup or are required to be present at any other kind of pre-trial identification procedure other than a photo display, to have your New Jersey criminal defense lawyer present. This includes when you are charged, indicted, arraigned or brought before a preliminary hearing.

Role of Your New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer

At a lineup, your New Jersey criminal defense attorney is there to function as an observer, adviser and critic. As your attorney, he or she cannot serve as a witness at your trial, so another individual such as a legal colleague, investigator or assistant should be brought in to function in that capacity. Your lawyer may also have the proceedings permanently recorded via video or audio recording and prior conversations with witnesses may be taken down by a stenographer.

Presence During Conversations

Any conversations between the police and the witnesses should be conducted in the presence of your New Jersey criminal defense lawyer to preclude the possibility of any undue attempts to influence the witness in any fashion.