The short answer is yes. It will often be dependent on the situation. Every defendant has a Constitutional right to take the stand and defend him or herself. However, in some cases, it might not be beneficial for a defendant to take the stand. Ultimately, the Valrico DUI Attorney of Hackworth Law can only give you their advice concerning whether you should testify or not, the choice to testify lies solely with the client.
The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution gives defendants the “right against self-incrimination.” This Amendment gives the accused a right not to answer questions regarding their case from police during the investigation and/or testifying during trial. This means that defendants cannot be forced to testify. If a defendant takes the stand, then the opposing counsel is allowed to cross-examine that defendant and can often times portray him or her in a negative light. Our Valrico DUI Attorneys will protect your constitutional rights during your criminal case.
If you or someone you know has questions regarding whether you should testify at your trial, contact the Valrico DUI Attorneys of Hackworth Law for a free case consultation. If you would like to contact one of our Valrico DUI Attorneys immediately, please use the “contact us now” tab in the upper right hand corner of our website our chat box in the lower right hand corner of our website. We appreciate you taking the time to check out our Valrico DUI Attorney blog and we look forward to working with you.