What to do After an Arrest
If you've been charged, don't wait. Act now!
Have you been arrested in Orange County? Your future may be at risk. At the
Law Offices of Jacqueline Goodman, we understand that this may be an overwhelming and frightening experience.
The outcome of this situation may depend on the actions you take right now, and you can dramatically improve your chances of a favorable result by
retaining an experienced Orange County criminal lawyer from our firm to
fight for you.
You have the right to silence!
Perhaps the most important thing you should know when you have been arrested
is that the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution secures your right not
to act as a witness against yourself.
You are not required by law to speak about the situation or your criminal
charges with police officers or investigators, regardless of how they may try to intimidate you into talking.
Investigators may try to coerce you into a confession and they are even
allowed to lie to you during questioning, but
you should always "plead the Fifth"
and insist on having your attorney present with you. A prosecutor cannot use the fact that you refused to answer
questions as evidence against you; this is one of your most basic rights
as a citizen of the United States.
No matter how clear it may seem to you that you are innocent, and no matter
how obvious you think it should be to the police, remember this one crucial factor: you would not have been arrested if the police did not already think
you committed the crime. They already believe that you are guilty, and every question they ask
is calculated to get you to make further incriminating statements to obtain
a conviction.