What Should I Do If I Think I'm Going To Be Charged With A Crime Or Arrested?

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What Should I Do If I Think I'm Going To Be Charged With A Crime Or Arrested?
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When you think that you will be charged with a crime or arrested, the best thing for you to do is to contact a criminal defense attorney who will advise you on how to turn yourself in. What's important is that you turn yourself in before you are arrested. When you surrender yourself, it gives you a chance to show that you are willing to cooperate, which could be helpful in your case. 

You should know what your rights are before going to the police station and surrendering yourself to the investigator. Lustberglaw.com reminds you that under the law you are innocent until proven guilty, but that hiring the right attorney to defend you is critical, too.

You should work with an attorney with years of experience handling criminal cases successfully and getting the outcomes that their clients want. You should choose someone who specializes in criminal defense where you have been charged.

What is a warrant?

A warrant is an official court order that is issued either by a judge or a magistrate that authorizes the police to take an individual accused of a crime into custody on site. The two types are arrest warrants and bench warrants.

What happens after I surrender?

After you have been arrested, the police report will be written and submitted to the prosecutor, who will have to determine if there is enough evidence to charge you. 

Your first court appearance, also called an arraignment, is when the court formally charges you, and the judge determines your bail conditions. Your attorney will advise you as to how you should plea before your hearing. 

Depending on the type of crime that you have been charged with and whether or not you have hired an experienced attorney, the judge will determine if you will be released and with or without bail. It's best to speak with an experienced attorney to know more about your chances in your specific situation. You should hire an attorney who is committed to protecting your rights and defends you relentlessly against any charges. 

Do I have to talk to the police after I have surrendered?

You do not want to resist arrest or do anything that can make your situation worse. One of the key pieces of advice is to be cooperative with the police, but you do not have to answer any questions without your lawyer present. However, once you are already in custody, you shouldn't have to speak to the police other than to say, "I want to speak with my attorney."

Why Hiring An Attorney Matters

The best thing for you to do is to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney about voluntarily surrendering yourself if there are any charges that have been filed against you or will be filed against you. It is better to speak about this option with an attorney rather than be handcuffed and arrested in public, in front of your family, or any other time. Instead, your attorney would arrange for you to turn yourself into the police. In fact, you may even be treated better by law enforcement when they know you have a respected attorney on your side. 

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