Arrested Know Your Legal Rights

Upon arrest you may or may not be informed of the reasons for the arrest. Of course, if you’re arrested in the midst of some wrongdoing, you’ll at least have an idea about the charges and the reason for the arrest. Otherwise, [the] judge will inform you of the charges against you at the arraignment, or first court hearing, which usually takes place within 72 hours, in some cases within 48 hours after being arrested. In the meantime, bail may be set so that you can be released from jail on the promise that you’ll come back to court at some later date to face the charges. You have valuable legal rights upon being arrested, so use them. You have the right to remain silent, so be extremely careful what you say. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning, so contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. If you truly cannot afford an attorney, a public defender may be appointed for you, but this is not the time to try to go it alone. Hire a good criminal defense attorney, the cost of which is likely more reasonable than you think. [It] is worth what’s at stake.