The Guide To Dealing With An Arrest
Getting arrested can be very scary, so you must know your rights and how you should proceed if you are arrested and charged with a crime. This may be the beginning of a long process, so be sure that you do everything that you can to navigate this process the best that you can. This guide will teach you about dealing with an arrest, getting bailed out of jail, and hiring an attorney to represent you. Keep reading to contemplate this information.
#1: Know how to respond if you get arrested
When the police officer lets you know that you are under arrest, make sure that you comply, but also ask for their name and identification. Since you are not yet represented by an attorney, exercise your right to remain silent and make sure you don't offer any statement or information in the booking area unless and until you have a lawyer present. Do your very best to remain polite and calm. In many situations, the judge will ask the officer whether you were compliant and this will play a large role in how you are treated in court — especially if it is a misdemeanor, which the judge can easily reduce or throw out. Save your energy for fighting the legal battle, rather than starting off on the wrong foot with the officer.
#2: Get out of jail as quickly as you can
Once you are arrested and booked into the system, your primary focus should be getting out as soon as you can. This requires you to hire a bail bond agent. Call around to a few different bail bond agents. The jail should have a directory that you can use. Make sure that you verify their license number to make sure that they are properly insured and legally operating. When you call to a few, you should also be sure that you ask about their rates. It is standard practice for bail bond agencies to charge rates around 10% or so. For more information, contact companies like All Night & Day Bailbonds.
#3: Hire an esteemed criminal defense lawyer
You will need to appear before the judge for an arraignment on your charges and if the case proceeds, you will have pretrial hearings, preliminary court dates and either a plea deal out of court or a trial. These matters require an esteemed criminal defense lawyer who understands the system. Check first with your State Bar Association to see which attorneys come highest recommended. Ask for their contracts and rates in written form so that you can budget for their services.
Use these three tips and contact professionals who can help.