You've Been Arrested - Now What?

By Abraham Avotina

Uh oh, you've just been arrested. If you've ever found yourself on the wrong side of the law, you know how overwhelming the criminal justice system can be. But you don't have to navigate it alone. A good criminal defense attorney can help you get your life back on track before you know it.

Anyone can make a mistake, whether it's driving home after a few beers or fudging the truth on your tax returns--that's what makes us human! But when the unthinkable happens and your mistake gets you into hot water with the law, don't add to your stress by thinking you can go it alone. Criminal attorneys are trained to represent you effectively and guide you through even the most complicated criminal trials. Their expertise will save you time and resources, and can often mean the difference between community service and prison time.

Let's say you've been arrested for driving while under the influence... again. What would normally be a misdemeanor is now a felony charge, and you can't afford to leave your family without its main breadwinner while you do time in prison. At the trial, the prosecution tries to put your spouse on the stand to testify that you ordered three drinks that night before getting behind the wheel. If you had hired a criminal attorney to represent you instead of trying your hand at pro se representation, you would have known about the evidentiary rule of spousal privilege and would have been able to stop any of the countless tricks the prosecution will try to play before the day is over.

And while you're busy trying to cram three years of law school into the three weeks before your trial starts, you're also using all of your hard-won vacation days and missing out on precious moments with your family. Spending a beautiful day hunched over the criminal code while your kid wins his first soccer game is the worst way to live your life. In another life, your criminal defense attorney could have already worked out a plea agreement with the District Attorney or put together a coherent theory of your case before you even figured out which thirty-pound criminal law tome to check out from the library.

Pro se defendants are treated with suspicion by judges and with frustration by opposing counsel. Most legal professionals are well aware of the extra time and resources the clerks, judges, and juries are forced to spend on self-represented defendants. Many prosecutors are already out for blood--don't give them a reason to make it personal by blundering through your own representation. Get a criminal attorney on your side and let them deal with the unpleasantness of fending off barbs and tricks from the prosecution! In other words, don't put your well-being on the line by making the criminal justice system any more of a headache than it already is! Rest easy knowing that a criminal attorney is working around the clock to make sure you keep your sanity and win your day in court.

Don't try to represent yourself in court after being arrested. To learn about one criminal attorney in sacramento that might be able to help, visithttp://www.sacramentodefense.com.

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