A criminal defence lawyer protects the client through arrest, questioning, search, charge, detention measures, trial and appeal. In an emergency, do not give a substantive account or sign a document without understanding its content and your status; request confidential access to counsel and preserve an accurate record of timing and participants.
1. If an arrest or search is happening now
Remain calm, do not physically resist, record the authority, time, place and participants, and clearly request a lawyer. Do not guess or fill factual gaps with assumptions. A confidential consultation should take place before a substantive position is given.
Family members should record the time of detention, likely location, investigator details, health or medication needs and every notice received. Posting case details publicly can damage evidence and confidentiality.
- Ask for your status and rights to be explained
- Request a confidential lawyer meeting
- Do not delete or alter digital data
- Record medical and interpreter needs
2. Counsel’s role at the investigation stage
Counsel establishes procedural status, reviews the basis for detention and investigative acts, attends relevant procedures, records violations and enables informed decisions. Defence is not inventing facts; it is insisting on lawful process, testing evidence and making the rights to silence and representation effective.
The first meeting creates a privileged chronology: what happened, who attended, what was said, what devices or documents were taken and any medical circumstances. Immediate motions, independent evidence and a secure communications protocol can then be set.
3. Detention measures and protecting liberty
A detention hearing requires analysis distinct from guilt: whether there is a concrete risk of absconding, interference or further offending, and whether a less restrictive measure can manage it. Defence material may address residence, family and professional ties, health, conduct history and proposed conditions.
Generic character references are rarely enough. Each record should answer a stated risk and be authentic. The team should also plan any challenge and the practical mechanics of complying with conditions.
4. Evidence, experts and digital material
The defence should map what the prosecution says each item proves, its source, acquisition method, continuity and alternative explanation. Video, telecommunications data, financial records and expert conclusions must be assessed in full context.
Do not handle devices or accounts in a way that alters data. Where appropriate, obtain a lawful independent copy and qualified expert input. Delay in preserving an alibi, witness or document can reduce availability and weight.
5. Financial and white-collar investigations
Financial cases intersect criminal, corporate, tax and banking law. A director title alone does not establish who decided, controlled an account or understood the commercial purpose. Preserve board and shareholder records, contracts, invoices, communications and the complete funds trail.
A company needs one investigation-response plan: who receives requests, preserves data, protects employment and privacy obligations, and communicates with authorities. An internal review must not destroy or alter potential evidence.
6. From charge to trial
Break the allegation into each legal element and map prosecution and defence material against it. Pre-trial work addresses admissibility, disclosure, motions, witnesses, experts and any proposed resolution.
A plea agreement is an individual risk decision, not an automatic answer. The client must understand the charge, potential sentence, evidential strength, collateral consequences and workable terms. No ethical lawyer can guarantee an outcome.
7. Appealing a judgment and later remedies
Deadline and record preservation begin when judgment is announced. The appeal should identify the challenged provisions, the substance of illegality or unreasonableness, supporting material and requested outcome. The general period is one month, although other rulings may carry shorter time limits.
Appellate counsel must read not only the judgment but the whole material record and hearing history. The strategy may differ from trial, but must remain anchored in the actual record and admissible argument.
8. How to choose a criminal lawyer in Tbilisi
Ask who will work on the matter, how quickly counsel can reach a detained client, how confidentiality is protected, how evidence is organised and what the fee covers. An international client needs more than an interpreter: choices, risks and documents must be explained clearly in English.
A sound first assessment does not promise victory. It identifies what is known, unknown, urgent, optional and needed for the next decision. Agree the written scope and emergency communications protocol at the outset.
Important noteThis material is general information, not personalised legal advice. Recheck current law, official practice, fees and deadlines against your facts before acting.