You shared a residence with someone, but then something happened that left the two of you on bad terms. You went to retrieve your belongings, and the next thing you know, you are being arrested and accused of breaking and entering. Even though breaking and entering is not a major charge, it is a criminal-level accusation, and it can change your life in a lot of ways. Take a look at a few things you should know if you were charged with breaking and entering after a breakup.
Gather proof of your prior living situation for your attorney.
If you were legitimately only retrieving your personal belongings because you were trying to vacate the residence, it should be fairly easy to prove that you lived at the address at some recent point. If you got mail at the address in your name, collect what you can find and give it to your criminal law attorney. If there are receipts from a moving company from when you moved in, this could even serve as proof if the address was listed as the place of service along with your name. The more evidence you can gather to show that you did physically live at the address, the more it could help your lawyer build a defense.
Make your intentions of entering the property known to your attorney.
What was the reason you were trying to get into the property? For most people, the primary reason behind trying to get into a property where they no longer live is going to be to retrieve their personal belongings. If there were other intentions and you had no property at the address, it is important to make sure your attorney knows what was taking place and why.
Be clear and honest about the personal situation with the other party.
If you were told to leave by the person who was the primary resident at the address, be open about this with your attorney. In an ideal scenario when someone gets kicked out of a home they are sharing with someone else, arrangements can be made to retrieve your belongings. If the other party is refusing you access to your things, breaking and entering is not the answer. Technically, the individual asked to leave should seek the help of local law enforcement in these situations. Nevertheless, your forthcoming honesty can do you more good than harm in court.
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