You've just been arrested. You're now facing the serious penalties that could result if a conviction is made. Thoughts of fines, jail time, and other penalties are circling through your head. Now what? Do you know what to do in the wake of an arrest in Orange County? When it comes to facing criminal charges in the state of California, time is of the essence, and even the slightest hesitation could cost you more than you can afford. Therefore, it is imperative that legal action is taken immediately. The sooner you align yourself with a defense attorney who can assist in your efforts to avoid conviction, the better chances you stand in court.
After an arrest, every detail of your case will need to be thoroughly reviewed by a legal professional whose experience can be put to work toward helping you avoid an ultimate conviction. During this time, every minute of every hour counts immensely. The sooner you act on the charges that have been made in your name, the sooner you can feel relief from the stress of worrying about what an ultimate conviction might bring. The actions that you and your attorney take after an arrest can be game-changers when dire consequences are on the line. As such, this should be a time at which the following steps are irrefutably taken:
Exercise Your Right to Remain Silent: As declared in the Miranda Warning, criminal suspects have the right to remain silent in the presence of law enforcement officers or anyone else; criminal suspects have the right to an attorney, and criminal suspects have the right to stop answering the questions asked of them by a law enforcement officer and instead request the presence of an attorney. Invoking the Miranda Rights ensures that a suspect's Fifth- and Sixth Amendment rights are not overlooked or violated in any way. Furthermore, it serves as personal insurance that the suspect does accidentally incriminate himself or herself.
Avoid Talking About Your Case In Jail: Don't assume that because you are being held in custody, your sentence has already been decided. There is still plenty of time to negotiate a plea bargain, settle the case out of court, or litigate the case in trial. Therefore, it is critical that the details of your case not be discussed while you are in jail. Trusting the circumstances involved in your case with another cellmate could prove to be problematic, as could discussing these matters over the phone. Even if you are speaking with a close friend or family member on the phone, many jails record conversations held on these phones. Simply put, all discussions should be had in the presence of a qualified and professional legal attorney.
Above and beyond everything else, however, the most important step of all is to hire a lawyer to represent your case. Whether you were pulled over and arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, or you are facing criminal allegations for homicide, the attorney you choose to represent your case could make all the difference. In the uncertainty that follows an arrest in Southern California, or anywhere else for that matter, there is no better course of action to take than to align yourself with Orange County criminal defense attorney Jacqueline Goodman. Doing so will put you in a position that could enhance your chances of having the criminal charges reduced or dropped altogether.
The Law Offices of Jacqueline Goodman operates under the impression that bad things can happen to good people, and as such, its legal team fights aggressively in defense of individuals in need of effective criminal defense. Contact us today at (714) 266-3945