Liar Liar is a classic lawyer movie that explores the age-old issue of truth versus lies, honesty versus deception. If you have seen the movie, when Fletcher Reede, a lawyer played by Jim Carey, cries out in the courtroom, “And the truth shall set you free!” you feel the passion, excitement, and relief brought on by the truth and how it won the day in court. If you haven’t seen the movie, go watch it right now. Drop everything. You won’t regret it. The humor and wittiness of Jim Carey brings to life the difficulty of his character’s newfound inability to lie in the middle of one of the biggest court cases of his career. And while I understand this highlights an attorney trying to lie, the point is this, lying gets you nowhere in the legal system, nowhere good that is.
I have had my fair share of surprises when it comes to lies and deceptions. Whether it is an opposing party, a third-party witness, or a client, I have been caught by surprises and lies in the middle of some very difficult and complex situations. But the worst time to be surprised or caught off guard is by a client who lied or failed to tell me something, and the first time I heard about it was in court. In my almost nine years of practice, I have had several clients not tell me the truth or omit certain details and facts during their case. And I am here to say, don’t do it. Do not lie to your attorney. Do not omit details and facts when you are telling your attorney your story. It can only come back to haunt you.
Early in my career I had a particular case where a client neglected to tell me about additional children he adopted during his marriage to the opposing party. It was not until the day of the final trial that I was made aware of my client’s additional children, which changed the entire outcome and forced a situation in which settling the matter was a necessary outcome to avoid the fallout from this sudden revelation. I have also had clients fail to tell me about income they receive or businesses they started. Additionally, lying under oath or providing false information can lead to criminal investigations and charges. It is vitally important to tell the truth, to be honest with your attorney. This allows us to plan and create strategy around the whole story, around your whole life, not just bits and pieces. Moreover, it does not set you or us up for surprises that can have a detrimental impact on your case.
If you’re concerned about sharing information, remember that information you share with your attorney is confidential. If you are concerned about being judged, my office is a judgment free zone. It is important to trust that the information you provide will only be used if necessary or required by law. But the important thing to remember is that your attorney will be able to prepare in advance. Your attorney will have arguments and strategies in place to address whatever it is you think should not be shared. Remember, if you think that lying is the way to go, it isn’t. As Jim Carey said, “And the truth shall set you free!”
– Attorney William King