After You Were Arrested

Arrested. Now What?

YOUR LOCAL LEGAL TEAM offers Advice and Immediate Assistance

If you have been arrested, you often have very little time to decide what to do next. You owe it to yourself to take an aggressive approach to your own defense. Finding an experienced, proven defense attorney to work with is the most important thing you can do for yourself.

What can you expect to happen in the near future now that you have been arrested on suspicion of a criminal offense? Many people can expect to experience some combination of the following steps in the criminal defense process.

First, call your lawyer.

• If you are in jail, your attorney will meet you at the jail.
• If you desire to get out of jail on bond, your attorney will schedule a bond hearing.
• Your attorney will explain the most likely ways that you can obtain and post bond, if you do not have cash available.
• Since we have a full service firm, we can prepare deeds or other documents needed to help you post a property bond
• We can prepare promissory notes or liens in personal injury or worker’s compensation files that we are handling to help get you out of jail
• Once you have posted bond, you will be asked to attend various court dates until you have a hearing. If you have Wright, Worley, Pope, Ekster & Moss, PLLC representing you, we can often attend on your behalf. This can be very helpful if you live out of state and need to go on with your life, or even if you live locally and need to work, attend school, or care for children or other relatives. It is essential that you appear at or have an attorney appear for you at these roll calls. If not, a warrant could be issued for your arrest.
• At a preliminary hearing you will be informed of the charges against you.
• Further steps in your criminal defense will depend on your particular charges and circumstances. The steps you need to take next are a matter of urgent and very important discussion between you and your defense lawyer.  Talk to an attorney as soon as possible, so you can intelligently pursue the best attainable outcome.

In the meantime, please help yourself!

• Do not talk to anyone, including friends or family, about the charges
• When you meet with your attorney, your friends and family will be asked to leave the room to protect your attorney-client privilege of confidentiality.
• If there is a victim, you should have no contact with the victim. You may be tempted to try to express regrets or clear up a misunderstanding. This type of communication should be handled only through your attorney.