What to Do When Arrested Because of a Criminal Offense

No one wants to run into the trouble with the law but that doesn’t mean it is not likely to happen. You could be a victim of circumstances and the details of the case are not really clear. It will be a confusing moment and you’ll not want to do anything that could jeopardize your chances with the legal system. This begs the question, what do you do when you find yourself in trouble with the law? Here are some of the tips that will come in handy when you’ve been arrested for a criminal offense.

What Happens

It will be a frightening experience when you’ve been arrested. The police officers will take control of your life and you’ll feel like you’re at their mercy. It is the duty of the arresting office to read you your rights. One of the rights will involve seeking the services of an attorney. It will be a good idea to start searching for a Criminal Defense Attorney Salt Lake City regardless of the severity of the offense. You might think it is a minor fender bender only to be sentenced to time in prison.

You should cooperate with the arresting officer and follow the Miranda warnings as what you say could be used against you in a court of law. Once you get in touch with an attorney, you’ll be guided through the process so that you can know what to expect with the case. You’re not obliged to talk when you’ve been arrested and it will be the best thing to do if you want to give your attorney an easy time with the representation. The police will always want a confession despite going the lengths to do the investigation. You will not be doing yourself any favor when you try to explain yourself when you’ve been arrested.

Getting Bail

This will depend on the severity of the offense committed. If it is a serious offense, the court could refuse to grant bail because you’ll be deemed to be a threat to society. There are also occasions where the bail amount might be too high. A criminal defense attorney will not only fight on your behalf but will also make sure that the bail amount is being reduced so that you’re getting out of jail to prepare for your defense. You could also be released without bail if it is a minor offense.

In most instances, your criminal defense attorney can play a major role in getting the bail process rolling. Leading experts and legal authorities, Van Nuys criminal defense attorney suggest that criminal defense attorneys can use their networking and past relationships with judges to ensure that the bail takes place. Yes, this depends on the severity of the offense, however, senior criminal defense attorneys can often use their goodwill, reputation and experience to initiate bail proceedings even in the toughest of cases. 

Getting a Criminal Defense Attorney

It is crucial that you’re reaching out to an attorney that is experienced with criminal cases. This is because of the nature of the criminal system and you might get a harsh verdict when you’re a first time offender. A good criminal defense attorney will aggressively fight on your behalf to ensure that you’re getting the best out of the case.

The first thing you’d want to look at is the number of years that the lawyer has been practicing. The more the years, the more the experience. You can also ask for references just to be sure about the experience of the attorney.

The legal fees will also play a big role in the hiring decision. You don’t want to be spending a lot of money on the defense. It is important that you’re getting the right balance between the fees and the quality of representation. A good attorney can get you out of serious trouble. The fees will be a small price to pay compared to spending years in jail and losing your job.

A permanent record means just that. That is why you should be doing everything possible to avoid it. A good attorney will aggressively fight on your behalf to ensure that you’re getting the best out of the situation.

Should You Hire an Attorney?

The answer is pretty obvious at this point. You don’t want to risk your life, especially when you’ve been accused of a serious offense. There is no presumption of innocence in the court of public opinion. Your friends will quickly stop talking to you when they see your mugshot on TV. Your reputation could be ruined when it was just one big misunderstanding.

Conclusion

When you’ve been arrested, the best thing you can do is to remain silent. You should also be getting in touch with a criminal defense attorney depending on the severity of the offense. An experienced lawyer will ensure that you’re getting the best defense possible. You should not only be looking at the legal fees because there will be a lot more at stake.