Being arrested for a criminal matter is serious. Being prepared for your case is important whether you are guilty of the charges or not. The things you do between the time you are released on bail and your day in court should be focused on a successful outcome. To help with that, read on.
Get a Lawyer
Speak to a criminal defense lawyer after you are out of jail. It takes time to prepare a case and your lawyer needs to do a lot of work investigating your charges and finding out what the state has in evidence against you. Bring a lawyer on board and follow their instructions for staying out of trouble while you are out on bail.
Do You Need Treatment?
Get ahead of the judge and seek help if you have issues with anger management, drugs, alcohol, or other bad habits. Seek counseling, go to meetings (and get signatures that you were there), and take other obvious and verifiable steps to address your issues. Doing so before your case comes up demonstrates initiative and self-control, two qualities the judge likes to see.
Check Your Looks and Behavior
You need to be on your best behavior and not just to avoid violating your bail conditions. Avoid any hint of criminal activity by laying low for a few months. Keep working and if you are not employed, try to get a job. You will need income for the upcoming case and being employed shows good character. Don't miss any court-related hearings. If you must report for drug testing or anything else, do so. Stay in touch with your lawyer. Be proactive and keep in touch with your lawyer.
When you are in court, dress conservatively. You should be clean, neat, unwrinkled, and respectful of the court with your attire. Don't wear headwear, graphic tee shirts, pajamas, or flip-flops.
Beware of Plea Bargains
Plea bargains are becoming increasingly common, sometimes even for homicide cases. A plea bargain means you are pleading guilty to a charge. The charge might be reduced or altered from the original charge. Some plea bargains will have the defendant pleading guilty to the original charge but for a potentially lesser sentence.
Taking a plea bargain means you are skipping the trial and going straight to sentencing. Talk over plea bargains with your criminal defense lawyer. Ask them what the potential outcome could be if you go to trial.
Speak to your criminal defense lawyer to find out more.
Share13 October 2022
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