When you’re stuck in a detention center preparing for trial, it’s a different kind of pressure. You don’t have the luxury of calling your lawyer whenever you want. Instead, you’re on their schedule, and that creates a lot of stress.

Limited Access to Your Lawyer

One of the biggest challenges is the limited time you actually get to spend with your lawyer. You meet on designated days, and that’s it. You’ll get a few hours to go over everything, but it’s not like you can pick up the phone and get a quick answer when something comes to mind. There’s a lot of sitting around, wondering if you’re doing enough, second-guessing everything. It’s frustrating and isolating.

Preparing in a Constrained Environment

The environment itself adds another layer of difficulty. You’re stuck in a confined space, with limited access to resources, while dealing with the stress of an upcoming trial. You don’t have the freedom to dive deep into preparation with your lawyer. Instead, you’re cramming in as much as possible during the little time you have together.

What You Can Do

So what do you do? You need to stay organized. Don’t waste a second when you do get face time with your lawyer. Write down everything beforehand—questions, concerns, strategies—so when you finally sit down with them, you’re prepared. Don’t let the time slip away. Stay focused and keep your mind sharp.

It’s not ideal, but the key is to be proactive, not complain and do the best with what you got.

Justin Paperny