Criminal Attorney: How To Deal With An Arrest

A criminal attorney can help you if you are charged with a violent crime. You will need to hire a criminal attorney. If you are charged with a criminal offense in which you can possibly be imprisoned, you may need a criminal attorney, because although the crime is a misdemeanor it may still be considered as a crime.

Once you are arrested, the police will book you. Booking entails being fingerprinted and having your photograph taken. The officers will take any personal property that you had with you during your arrest. So, if you have a purse, wallet or other articles, they will take them and place them into an area. You will receive your personal items upon your release. After you are booked, the police will lead you to a cell where you will wait.

The judge can allow you to leave jail on your own recognizance, which means that you will not need to pay bail to get out of jail. This offer is presented if your crime is not particularly serious or if you have a clean record. The court must also feel that you are not dangerous. If you are released on your own recognizance, you must appear in court on the specified dates or you will return to jail. It's important that you appear on time at court on your dates or the police may find you and arrest you. At that point, you will not be able to be bailed out of jail.

A criminal attorney can explain bail to you. Bail is money that you pay so that you can be released from jail. When you pay bail, you are swearing that you will participate in your court hearings and other court proceedings that involve your case. You may have to pay a specific amount that is set forth based on whether or not you may leave the area and not appear for trial. The amount for bail may also vary based on your crime or the likelihood that you will continue to repeat this crime or other crimes while you are released.

Usually your family and friends get together to pay your bail. Bail amounts can be quite high, and you may have the opportunity to pay a bond, instead. If your family and friends pay a bond for your release, you must appear or they must pay the bail amount. Bond amounts are just a fractional amount of the bail money. Your family and friends may be forced to use collateral, like a home, for the bond.

A criminal attorney will prepare to handle your case. You will need to give your lawyer all of the information that you have which pertains to you and your case. Your lawyer will ask you some specific questions that you must do your best to answer honestly. Your sincere participation in your case, can help the attorney to help you. Your attorney will tell you what you can expect during the proceedings, and will communicate the direction that he will take in the case.